CONDITION: Stress Fractures

DESCRIPTION:

Stress fracture overview: A stress fracture is an overuse injury that occurs when the fatigued muscles, which are unable to absorb any added shock, transfer the overload of stress to the bone. This results in a tiny crack called a stress fracture. Most stress fractures occur in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and the foot. More than 50 percent of all stress fractures occur in the lower leg. Women athletes are more likely than men to experience stress fractures due to osteoporosis. Flat feet or high, rigid foot arches can increase one’s risk of a stress fracture.

How does a stress fracture develop? Stress fractures are often the result of increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too rapidly. They can also be caused by the impact of an unfamiliar surface, such as when a tennis player switches playing surfaces from a soft clay court to a hard court; improper equipment, such as when a runner uses worn or less flexible shoes; and increased physical stress, such as when a basketball player substantially increases his or her playing time. Studies have shown that athletes participating in tennis, track and field, gymnastics and basketball are very susceptible to stress fractures. In all of these sports, the repetitive stress of the foot striking the ground can cause trauma. Without sufficient rest between workouts or competitions, all athletes are at risk for developing a stress fracture.

What are the symptoms of a stress fracture? Symptoms of a stress fracture include a specific painful spot that feels worse when pressure is applied, pain that increases over time, pain that decreases with rest and increases with activity and possibly swelling. The skin surrounding the area may or may not be tender to the touch. An athlete may not even notice a stress fracture when it happens, and the pain may not start until days later.

Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of a stress fracture, but they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses in the body, as natural medicine treatments like Prolotherapy do, stress fractures may be alleviated permanently.

Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat a stress fracture.