Possible stress fractures

[Diane]

While I didn't injure my leg running, it's sure keeping me from doing anything!

Columbus Day weekend I was on a marathon to finish scraping rosin paper off my kitchen floor. Any
time I do work like this my knees get sore. This time my left knee was more than sore and it never
really went away.

The pain is just below my kneecap although often my whole knee aches. I can feel it going up and
down stairs. Inclines on the treadmill hurt. Anything faster than 3.5mph hurts.

We biked a few weeks after and for about the first 10 mins I could feel it, then it went away
completely.

Silly things like lying on my back and tilting that knee to the side hurts. Using my other foot to
pull of my shoe via the heel hurts.

None of the pain is earth shattering but it's sure there, and the ache is almost constant. There is
no swelling and no lump.

Some days it doesn't hurt at all, other days it's worse.

I have not done any leg exercises at the gym since this happened, no step classes, no spinning, no
squats etc.

Friday I went to the doctor (my SO had meniscus surgery Wed so I did not want to end up where he was
if my condition was minor). Figures that Friday was not a painful day for me although Thursday I was
aware if it all day.

The doc did all the poking, pulling and twisting things I expected. I didn't feel a thing.

He suggested I may have stress fractures and that only time can heal them, full rest is better but
pretty impossible to go to work and not use a leg! This is my left leg and all I have are sticks to
drive too (typically doesn't hurt when I shift). He said if I don't feel better in a few more weeks
to come back for an MRI.

While reading on stress fractures last night, it seems that most people experience more pain
than I have.

Can stress fractures start out so small that the pain is not so bad?

He suggested stationary biking at best. I can't last the winter without cardio, my job kills me
(desk jockey).

Do I just resign myself to a bit of stationary bike for the next few weeks and go from there? Or do
those of you that have suffered stress fractures feel this is something different?

This was my most active summer and I'm not ready to give it up yet but man am I feeling old with
this! He also said the crackling that's been in that knee for 5+ years and just started in the other
knee a few weeks ago is probably arthritis <sigh>

Sorry for the length and thanks for any info you can give me.

Diane

[Donovan Rebbech]

In article <diane-EA6D4C.07333209122003@netnews.attbi.com>, Diane wrote:

> He suggested I may have stress fractures and that only time can heal them, full rest is better but
> pretty impossible to go to work and not use a leg! This is my left leg and all I have are sticks
> to drive too (typically doesn't hurt when I shift). He said if I don't feel better in a few more
> weeks to come back for an MRI.

It's unusual for a stress fracture to be so high up, usually they're closer to the base of the shin.

It's hard to tell what it is (which is why he said you *may* have stress fractures) Either way, if
it hurts when you run, you should rest it.

Having said that, complete immobilisation isn't necessary at all, you can still walk, drive a stick
and do non impact activity. A good rule of thumb with injuries is "if it hurts, don't do it".

If it is a stress fracture, you'll need a break from running, like the doc says. Whether or not it's
a stress fracture, if running hurts, then don't run.

> He suggested stationary biking at best. I can't last the winter without cardio, my job kills me
> (desk jockey).

You could probably do weight training too. You could also try the elliptical. Or swimming. Again, if
it hurts, don't do it.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

[Amh]

Diane <diane@REMOVEmathermotorsports.com> wrote in message
news:<diane-EA6D4C.07333209122003@netnews.attbi.com>...
> While I didn't injure my leg running, it's sure keeping me from doing anything!
>
> Columbus Day weekend I was on a marathon to finish scraping rosin paper off my kitchen floor. Any
> time I do work like this my knees get sore. This time my left knee was more than sore and it never
> really went away.

While preparing a Christmas "Santapede" costume for my team I came away with a similar injury to my
knee. Just below the kneecap as you describe. The doctor sent me to a orthopedist who did the same
tests you had and an x-ray. All of which indicated no cartilage damage. He diagnosed petellar
tendonitis and advised me to let it heal.

As I recall I was out of running from January through to April. I did a Yahoo search on Petellar
tendonitis and found a web page for the Buffalo School of Sports Medicine (sorry no link but it is
easy to find). In the patient education section they describe exercises to do to help healing and
prevent it from happening again. It is also advised that you keep stretching. So far it has left and
not come back in almost 2 years.

I'd be more worried about cartilage damage in that area of the body than a stress fracture. But you
could be a medical oddity.

Heal fast, Andy

>
> This was my most active summer and I'm not ready to give it up yet but man am I feeling old with
> this! He also said the crackling that's been in that knee for 5+ years and just started in the
> other knee a few weeks ago is probably arthritis <sigh>

My knees and ankles have been popping since 1985 (when I ran my first marathon). It ain't arthritis.
In fact if my knees don't pop it usually means I've got something wrong.

[Diane]

Thanks Andy and Donovan,

I probably am a medical oddity but who really knows. LOL

I'll take it easy, see how the bike feels tonight (knee has been good today anyway) and go from
there. If it still hurts after the 1st of the year I'll insist on an MRI, if it gets worse before
then, same thing.

Donovan, I do a lot of weight lifting but my upper body builds well and my lower body gains weight
well. So I usually do a ton of leg work and I need the cardio as well just to maintain (and I need
to lose right now <sigh>). Guess I'll stick with leg extensions and leave out presses and squats.

I read a case in this group of someone who would rest a bit and start running again and the problem
would flare up after a few days, so that's one of my fears, starting back too soon, and how do you
know it's too soon? If my knee feels good for a week and I start back up again and it flares up
again a few days later.......

I will never be a marathon runner, I'm more of a fast walker but I do like slow jogs at inclines -
good hamstring workout! :)

I just feel way too young for all this LOL

Andy - crackling in your knees that you can feel as you bend it or an actual pop as in a one-time
snap or crack (like cracking your knuckles). My knees have always popped (the one time thing) but
the crackling is a bit different. More of an annoyance than anything, doesn't seem to hurt during
any activities.

Thanks again for the tips, oh and I'll look up that Buffalo School link.

Diane

[Donovan Rebbech]

In article <diane-9231EE.17085209122003@netnews.attbi.com>, Diane wrote:
> Thanks Andy and Donovan,
>
> I probably am a medical oddity but who really knows. LOL
>
> I'll take it easy, see how the bike feels tonight (knee has been good today anyway) and go from
> there. If it still hurts after the 1st of the year I'll insist on an MRI, if it gets worse before
> then, same thing.

The usual way to confirm diagnosis of a stress fracture is to get a bone scan, which if I recall
correctly needs to take place a few weeks after onset of the injury (look this up in a book or on
the internet)

You should be able to get a definitive answer by the ``first of the year''.

My suggestion would be to have a followup check in a few weeks to see whether it is/was a stress
fracture, whether or not it still hurts.

> I read a case in this group of someone who would rest a bit and start running again and the
> problem would flare up after a few days, so that's one of my fears, starting back too soon, and
> how do you know it's too soon? If my knee feels good for a week and I start back up again and it
> flares up again a few days later.......

If it's a stress fracture, I don't think it will happen like this (it will not hurt *after* the run,
it will start hurting during the run and you'll have to stop). If it's a soft-tissue injury (like
tendonitis) this may happen -- but I think if it was tendonitis, taking a few weeks rest early on
should clear it up.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

[Diane]

> If it's a stress fracture, I don't think it will happen like this (it will not hurt *after* the
> run, it will start hurting during the run and you'll have

If it's going to hurt, yes it hurts during (and then after <G>)

Diane