Skip to main content

A Runner's Least Favorite Words: Stress Fracture


This is what a bone scan image of a tibial stress fracture looks like.

After two months of pain (and denial) in my right shin, I finally know exactly what's wrong. I went to the doctor about a month ago, and he recommended easing back on my running. With the Boston Marathon just weeks away, I cut back and focused on cross training. In the two weeks leading up to Boston, I only ran three miles.

I haven't run at all since Boston. When I got home from the race, I called my doctor and asked to get an X-Ray of my leg. It came back clear, but because my leg wasn't getting better, he ordered a bone scan.
As soon as the image came up on the screen, I was pretty sure it was a stress fracture since there was a glowing white spot in the exact place of my pain.

It is still sinking in that I won't be able to run for 4-6 weeks. Today has been a roller coaster of emotions.
But I'm trying to be positive. I am trying to focus on the fact that I finally know what is wrong and can work toward helping my leg heal and making sure my body is strong when I can run again.
Labels:

Comments

  1. KatheeApril 30, 2014 at 9:37 PM

    Stress fractures are a pain! I've had 2 of them and they are hard to diagnose. I still think they are HUNDREDS times better then an IT band problem or plantar fasciitis. PT took me out of running for almost a YEAR! You can do it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. PahlaMay 1, 2014 at 5:38 AM

    I have to agree with Kathee's comment - stress fractures have a finite heal time, other injuries can linger forever (or at least feel like it)! I know how frustrating it is to stay away from running, but you'll come back stronger. Enjoy the crosstraining - my first stress fracture was the reason I started doing triathlon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. NoraMay 1, 2014 at 6:38 AM

    Ugh, I know how this feels. I also ignored pain for weeks, PRed my half marathon, then stopped running last November. I'm almost back to running 30 minutes at a time now but still have soreness and need lots of rest after running. It's a longer process than I realized. The injury did get me biking, swimming, and weight lifting but I spent most of the time being frustrated I couldn't run.

    ReplyDelete
  4. NoraMay 1, 2014 at 6:39 AM

    Oh, and my stress fracture appears to be in the exact same spot as yours. I hope your healing goes smoother than mine has!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JennetJanuary 30, 2019 at 5:55 AM

    The moderate, dynamic nature of this damage makes side effects happen steadily and intensify with proceeded with effort. Our feet persevere stresses when we walk, hop or even stand. stress fractures in runners

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love your comments! They make my day, so be sure to let me know you stopped by. And I always try to respond to your comments, so let me know if you have any questions for me or if there is anything you want to see on here!

Popular posts from this blog

Carpet Burn On My Butt (and a giveaway)

After two lame, pathetic, lackluster weeks of running, I woke up excited to run yesterday. And today, I wore my running clothes all morning in anticipation of my nap time run today. Even in spite of sore glutes and tired quads from getting in some P90X Core Synergistics last night, I couldn't wait to get moving on Millie. I am a planner. Today I had a plan to get my run in while my girls slept, and my day was organized accordingly. I am also a creature of habit. The first thing I do when I roll out of bed every single day is make my bed and my girls' beds. If I do something else first, it throws off the entire morning. I am a creature of habit when it comes to my running routines as well. There are a few things that differ depending on whether I am running on Millie or outside, whether my girls are asleep or not, and whether or not they are joining me in the jogger. Yet, no matter when, where, how far or with whom I run, some things are always the same. My hair goes into a pon
222 comments
Read more

Social Media: Some good, a lot of bad, and way too much ugly

There are a lot of good things that come from social media. We can connect with people we have lost touch with. We can unite as a group (runners!!) with a comment interest. We can promote a good cause. Sadly though, what social media does best is makes us feel bad about ourselves and makes us feel negatively towards others. This isn't just my opinion, although I can unquestionably support the truth behind this based on my own experience. I have spent way too much time feeling bad about myself as a result of comparing myself to others based on their Instagram or Facebook versions of themselves. And there are several people I have started feeling negatively about or have become completely annoyed with because of their IG and FB posts. It isn't just me though. There are actual studies that can back me up on the negative impact social media can have. I have read dozens of articles reviewing many different studies that show the overwhelmingly negative (vs. positive) effec
343 comments
Read more

Raindrops on roses...not so much

I ran 15 miles on Saturday and a barefoot mile today (in addition to four in shoes), but why talk about those things when I can share some of my favorite random things, thanks to Rachelle tagging me! Favorite Thing to Photograph My girls (although I actually didn't take this picture) Favorite Thing to Cook Cupcakes, cookies, brownies. I'm all about the baked goods, mostly because they are my favorite thing to EAT. Favorite Way to Exercise Running, of course Favorite Movie I love movies and have a lot of favorites, but this has been a constant on my list. Favorite Article of Clothing I was going to say jeans, because I could wear jeans every single day. But I could survive without wearing jeans for a week. I couldn't survive without my running shoes for a week. Favorite Flower Tulips Favorite Breakfast French toast! Favorite Cartoon Character I love Rapunzel and Flynn and Belle and the frog in Gnomeo and Juliet. I could probably list about 20
21 comments
Read more