Running after Tibial Stress Fracture

[Joe]

So I started running again after 5 weeks off my leg. I
did about 10 miles last week between 3 days. Today I
ran 4 miles.

I have no pain when running, just a dull ache reminding
me that the shin is still healing. I have no pain upon
palpation, but a little pain upon percussion (tapping
the shin).

Am I staring too soon or should I back off again? I'm
anxious to run with all this good weather but really want to
make sure I don't get injured again.

Joe

[Dan Stumpus]

First, a disclaimer -- I've never had a stress fracture, but
I've had just about every other injury over the
years...sometimes I've done it right, and sometimes I've
tried to come back too soon and paid the price.

If it were me, I'd start out with non-impact workouts for
another week or so:

EG: fast hiking up steep trails (if you're lucky enough to
have them) or setting a treadmill to a 10-15% grade and fast
walking at 3+ mph.

Either way, you'll be able to get your heart rate up enough
to get conditioning and endorphins. I was fast hiking a very
steep 12 minute section of my run this morning, and got 155-
160 pulse, and zero impact.

When I returned to running, I'd run on the beach (if you're
so lucky), or grass or soft trails, for the same reason, for
another few weeks.

--Dan

"Joe" <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:EhDcc.21248$YC5.4467@twister.rdc-
kc.rr.com...
> So I started running again after 5 weeks off my leg. I
> did about 10 miles last week between 3 days. Today I ran
> 4 miles.
>
> I have no pain when running, just a dull ache reminding me
> that the shin
is
> still healing. I have no pain upon palpation, but a little
> pain upon percussion (tapping the shin).
>
> Am I staring too soon or should I back off again? I'm
> anxious to run with all this good weather but really want
> to make sure I don't get injured again.
>
> Joe

[Jwhip]

that dull ache that you describe can be a lot of things. did
you have an x-ray to tell you you had a stress fracture
(fx)? If it is indeed a stress fx, depending on your age,
and the type of fx, this injury can take quite a while to
heal; often more than 5 weeks. If you truly have a stress
fx, make sure you have a clear x-ray before continuing with
your training--otherwise you'll make it worse and be out
another five weeks...or more. Try running in a pool while
using a buoyancy belt if your pn gets worse. Start at the
deep end not touching at all, and progress to the shallow
end. or try cycling, swimming, or something with minimal
lower leg impact if you must train.

hope this helps. --JW

"Joe" <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:EhDcc.21248$YC5.4467@twister.rdc-
kc.rr.com...
> So I started running again after 5 weeks off my leg. I
> did about 10 miles last week between 3 days. Today I ran
> 4 miles.
>
> I have no pain when running, just a dull ache reminding me
> that the shin
is
> still healing. I have no pain upon palpation, but a little
> pain upon percussion (tapping the shin).
>
> Am I staring too soon or should I back off again? I'm
> anxious to run with all this good weather but really want
> to make sure I don't get injured again.
>
> Joe

[Scott Williams]

as i recall, joe didn't get an x-ray for lack of health
insurance.

being in the same boat, but with an x-ray, it sounds like
joe is in the clear. when i did a test run (with doc's
permission), it felt ok-ish during the run, but hurt like a
mother the day after. there wasn't much ambiguity about it.

the ache could also be muscle soreness and periosteal
inflammation, which joe must gently train through, unlike an
un-healed fracture. i still have some soreness, but just
back off a bit when it flares up.

i would say just give yourself rest days or x-training days
and cool it for awhile.

i didn't have another x-ray to be cleared to run, my doc
just told me to get my butt on the road and be sensible.

scott

jwhip wrote:

> that dull ache that you describe can be a lot of things.
> did you have an x-ray to tell you you had a stress
> fracture (fx)? If it is indeed a stress fx, depending on
> your age, and the type of fx, this injury can take quite a
> while to heal; often more than 5 weeks. If you truly have
> a stress fx, make sure you have a clear x-ray before
> continuing with your training--otherwise you'll make it
> worse and be out another five weeks...or more. Try running
> in a pool while using a buoyancy belt if your pn gets
> worse. Start at the deep end not touching at all, and
> progress to the shallow end. or try cycling, swimming, or
> something with minimal lower leg impact if you must train.
>
> hope this helps. --JW
>
> "Joe" <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:EhDcc.21248$YC5.4467@twister.rdc-
> kc.rr.com...
>
>>So I started running again after 5 weeks off my leg. I
>>did about 10 miles last week between 3 days. Today I ran
>>4 miles.
>>
>>I have no pain when running, just a dull ache reminding me
>>that the shin
>
> is
>
>>still healing. I have no pain upon palpation, but a little
>>pain upon percussion (tapping the shin).
>>
>>Am I staring too soon or should I back off again? I'm
>>anxious to run with all this good weather but really want
>>to make sure I don't get injured again.
>>
>>Joe
>>
>>
>>
>

[Joe]

I think I'm just experiencing periosteal pain or some muscle
tenderness. My anterior tibialis is hurting like a mother
because it hasn't been used at all. I'm thinking every other
day running will be fine.

I may try to have one of my friends at nursing school sneak
me into his x-ray lab and use the fluoroscope on me to see
how things look.

jOe

"Scott Williams" <swims@yewmich.edu> wrote in message
news:KFTcc.3784$Nz2.81365@news.itd.umich.edu...
> as i recall, joe didn't get an x-ray for lack of health
> insurance.
>
> being in the same boat, but with an x-ray, it sounds
> like joe is in the clear. when i did a test run (with
> doc's permission), it felt ok-ish during the run, but
> hurt like a mother the day after. there wasn't much
> ambiguity about it.
>
> the ache could also be muscle soreness and periosteal
> inflammation, which joe must gently train through, unlike
> an un-healed fracture. i still have some soreness, but
> just back off a bit when it flares up.
>
> i would say just give yourself rest days or x-training
> days and cool it for awhile.
>
> i didn't have another x-ray to be cleared to run, my doc
> just told me to get my butt on the road and be sensible.
>
> scott
>
>
>
> jwhip wrote:
>
> > that dull ache that you describe can be a lot of things.
> > did you have
an
> > x-ray to tell you you had a stress fracture (fx)? If it
> > is indeed a
stress
> > fx, depending on your age, and the type of fx, this
> > injury can take
quite a
> > while to heal; often more than 5 weeks. If you truly
> > have a stress fx,
make
> > sure you have a clear x-ray before continuing with your
training--otherwise
> > you'll make it worse and be out another five weeks...or
> > more. Try
running in
> > a pool while using a buoyancy belt if your pn gets
> > worse. Start at the
deep
> > end not touching at all, and progress to the shallow
> > end. or try
cycling,
> > swimming, or something with minimal lower leg impact if
> > you must train.
> >
> > hope this helps. --JW
> >
> > "Joe" <joeblow632@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:EhDcc.21248$YC5.4467@twister.rdc-
> > kc.rr.com...
> >
> >>So I started running again after 5 weeks off my leg. I
> >>did about 10
miles
> >>last week between 3 days. Today I ran 4 miles.
> >>
> >>I have no pain when running, just a dull ache reminding
> >>me that the shin
> >
> > is
> >
> >>still healing. I have no pain upon palpation, but a
> >>little pain upon percussion (tapping the shin).
> >>
> >>Am I staring too soon or should I back off again? I'm
> >>anxious to run
with
> >>all this good weather but really want to make sure I
> >>don't get injured again.
> >>
> >>Joe
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >