Best Simple Remedies's video: Stress Fracture Symptoms How to Speed Up Recovery

Stress Fracture Symptoms & How to Speed Up Recovery. Stress fractures account for over 10 percent of all injuries in sports medicine clinics, and they’re some of the most common running injuries there are. In fact, in running sports they may account for up to 30 percent of all injuries. That’s because our bones endure stress whenever a force is loaded upon it, whether the stress comes from the pull of a muscle or the shock of a leg or foot contacting the ground, there is stress put on the load-bearing bone. Eventually, that stress can lead to a stress fracture. A stress fracture occurs when muscles become fatigued and can’t handle added shock. The fatigued muscle eventually transfers the stress to the bone, which causes tiny cracks or stress fractures. The repeated stress is lower than the stress required to fracture the bone in a single event, but over time it will do damage. The pain is similar shin splints or a heel spur and oftentimes can even be confused for them at first, but a stress fracture is even more common and more problematic if left untreated. Did you know that a bone continuously remodels itself to withstand the stress involved with physical activity? But stress fractures occur with increased remodeling, causing a weakening of the outer surface of the bone. That’s why it’s important to increase training intensity gradually, instead of increasing mileage or weight before the bone has a chance to rest and repair. If you take some precautions, you can avoid a stress fracture, and that’s key because a stress fracture keeps you on the couch for six to eight weeks while you wait for your bones to recover. 8 Ways to Avoid a Stress Fracture. 1. Intensify Training Slowly: Don’t make drastic changes in milage or intensity when training. When you increase intensity, your bone is actually weaker for about a month after the change before it becomes stronger. Therefore, you need to gradually intensify your training or workouts so your bones can properly adapt to the added stress. Shoot for no more than a 10 percent increase in load per week in order to strengthen your muscles and avoid overtraining. If you’re new to running, read up on running tips for beginners in order to avoid an injury. This theory is supported by evidence that military recruits are most likely to endure a stress fracture during their first weeks of service. Recruits for the German Armed Forces in the years from 1998–2000 participated in a study examining stress fracture rates. In the study, 191 cases with 204 fractures were analyzed, and more than 50 percent of the fractures occurred within the first eight weeks of service. The soldiers were exempted from duty for an average of 26.5 days in order to recover fully. (1) 2. Work on Calf Flexibility: Studies show that a common cause of stress fractures is calf tightness, which causes a premature lifting of the heel while running and transfers a significant amount of force into the forefoot. A study published in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy found that subjects with tight calves were 4.6 times more likely to sustain a metatarsal stress fracture. (2) This shows the importance of stretching to loosen muscles, particularly in the calves. It’s also why it’s important to allow for proper muscle recovery so your muscles don’t stay tight all the time and increase the risk of a stress fracture. All Photos Licensed Under CC Source : www.pexels.com www.pixabay.com www.commons.wikimedia.org