Podiatrist - Scottsdale
South Scottsdale Office
North Scottsdale Office
So you want to become a runner? Step 1.Buy new shoes, step 2.Stretch, stretch and finally do some more stretching step 3.Start running.
One of the most common running problems, I see in both my North and South Scottsdale offices are stress fractures. Stress fractures are no fun, and they will only slow down your athletic progress. Take a look at Chinese basketball star Yao Ming. A small barely detectable break in his foot, and 12 months later he's finally ready to play, limited minutes... Once the fracture develops you become high risk of re-injury, so the best option is to steer clear. A common mistake the everyday athlete makes is going too hard too fast. Stick to the runner's rule, which is, increasing distance/activity by no more than 10% a week.
Stress fractures occur when a bone withstands too much repeated stress. Unlike most other fractures you may have experienced, a stress fracture doesn't occur all at once. It develops slowly overtime as we continue to run, play sports, and stress the same bone over and over again. As we run everyday the bone breaks down and a stress fracture develops. When this begins the athlete will feel pain near the bone during activity, and the pain gradually gets worse as we continue to compete. Eventually the fracture is bad enough as to cause pain all day and swelling may be noticed. This is definitely the time to visit the doctor.
Treatment for a stress fracture begins with rest. Keep weight-bearing pressure off the fracture as much as you can. Casts, walking boots, and crutches are commonly used by doctors to help patients allow the bone to heal. Depending on how bad the fracture is, it can take anywhere from 4-15 weeks before a patient can stop using the crutches and take off the cast. Some athletes who ignore their stress fractures can let them progress to the point where the two bones separate, called a non-union. As you can imagine these fractures have more problematic recovery. Remember, once out of crutches return to activities slowly.
There are a few things we can do to help protect ourselves from stress fractures. First, get new shoes. Shoes don't provide enough shock absorption after only about 500 miles of wear. Next visit your local podiatrist for a gait analysis and maybe some functional orthotics to improve your gait. Finally, remember to drink milk. Vitamin D and Calcium are needed for bones to grow strong. Lastly, increase running and sports slowly.