Alternative treatment for stress fractures
Stress Fractures Healed with Prolotherapy
Stress fractures are painful injuries occurring most frequently in the leg or foot. Typically an overuse injury, stress fractures are tiny slivers or cracks in the bone, often referred to as hairline fractures. They can be caused by one of many factors:
· Increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too rapidly.
· 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.
· 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.
If you have ever suffered from a stress fracture, you may be familiar with the traditional approach to treatment:
· Rest: The theory behind this practice is that the bone is breaking down faster than it can be built up. Rest is actually the first of a number of treatments typically used in the sports medicine community to deal with sports injuries – the RICE protocol. Unfortunately this approach does nothing to address the underlying cause of stress fractures, and may actually hinder healing, and, thus, does not alleviate the chronic pain that people with this condition experience.
· Steroids and anti-inflammatories: Another standard practice of modern medicine involves the use of steroids and anti-inflammatory medications. However, in the long run, these treatments do more damage than good. Although cortisone shots and anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to produce short-term pain benefit, but both result in long-term loss of function and even more chronic pain by actually inhibiting the healing process of soft tissues and accelerating cartilage degeneration.
· Surgery: When all else fails, patients who experience chronic unresolved pain from a stress fracture are usually referred to a surgeon. Unfortunately, surgery often makes the problem worse. Surgeons will use x-ray technology as a diagnostic tool, which does not always properly diagnose the pain source. Decisions to remove cartilage tissue will most commonly result in arthritis.
To learn why the treatment approach referred to as MEAT (Movement, Exercise, Analgesics & Treatments) is superior to RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) when treating injuries, click here.
Prolotherapy for stress fractures: A better approach is to strengthen the fibro-osseous (ligament-bone) junction in the area of the stress fracture with Prolotherapy and herbal supplements. This will strengthen the bone covering, or the periosteum, as well as the ligamentous and tendon/muscular attachments to the area. Neural therapy injections may also be given around the site of the stress fracture in order to increase the circulation in the area. Neural therapy is a gentle healing technique developed in Germany that involves injecting local anesthetics into autonomic ganglia, peripheral nerves, scars, glands, acupuncture points, trigger points, skin and other tissues.
Dr. Hauser will also prescribe a natural healing regime that may include supplements such as bone building products from www.benuts.com, as well as a modified exercise program to keep you going during this period of recovery. Having experienced a stress fracture himself (as well as Marion) we know how frustrating it can be to be sidelined with this injury. Don't worry because you can still accomplish your goals by altering your training using things such as the Aqua Jogger to jog in the deep end of the pool, as well as the elliptical machines etc.
A visit to Caring Medical includes a thorough examination by our Prolotherapy physician, Dr. Ross Hauser. An athlete himself, Dr. Hauser understands the frustration behind sports injuries and is able to choose the best course of treatment to relieve pain caused by stress fractures.
If you are interested in more information about Prolotherapy or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hauser, please contact Caring Medical at 708-848-7789 or online using our contact form.
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