Anyone ever stress fracture their foot?

[vi edit]

Owee I think I might have, but I can't get in to get it looked at for another 4 days.

My right foot, along the inside of my foot starting at the ball of the foot going about halfway up to my arch just screams with pain when I walk on it. I noticed it about 4 days ago and it has just got progressively worse since then. It hurts when I put light pressure on it from my hand too. I can't really feel much pain (throbbing, numbness, ect) when just sitting without any pressure on it. Most of the pain is between the ball of my foot and "front" of my arch.

Never had a stress fracture before so I wasn't sure what sort of things to expect from it.

And yes, I'm going to a doctor, but I'm traveling for work and can't for a few days.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Could be that or a "Fallen arch" if you have high arches in your feet....beats me what that really means other than my mother used to have that problem!

Me personally, sounds like a stress fracture...is it swollen at all?

 

[vi edit]

No swelling, no brusing. I do have incredibly high arches with some history of arch problems in my past but this isn't like anything that I've experienced.

 

[CubicZirconia]

I've done it three times. I have what is turning out to be chronic problems with my feet. If you really have a stress fracture, expect it to take a long time to heal. And don't try to "come back" too early. If you don't let it heal properly, it will just end up taking longer in the end.

edit: Also, insoles have taken care of my problems to some extent. I'm not a foot doctor, but maybe they could help you out.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: CubicZirconia
I've done it three times. I have what is turning out to be chronic problems with my feet. If you really have a stress fracture, expect it to take a long time to heal. And don't try to "come back" too early. If you don't let it heal properly, it will just end up taking longer in the end.

Did you have to have a bone scan done to diagnose? Or did they just poke and prod at it, and make a judgement call?

 

[CubicZirconia]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: CubicZirconia
I've done it three times. I have what is turning out to be chronic problems with my feet. If you really have a stress fracture, expect it to take a long time to heal. And don't try to "come back" too early. If you don't let it heal properly, it will just end up taking longer in the end.

Did you have to have a bone scan done to diagnose? Or did they just poke and prod at it, and make a judgement call?

The first time I didn't have a scan. The doctor just assumed that was the problem and we went from there. The second time I did have the scan (with the nuclear fluid injection and whatnot) because the doc wanted to get a better idea of what was going on. Turns out that was a huge waste of money, because although it did confirm the stress fractures, it really didn't tell us anything or change the treatment.

edit: I shouldn't say it didn't tell us anything, only that it didn't tell us anything really useful.

 

[DrNoobie]

You have two out of three signs of a stress fracture, the only one being absent is swelling. The pain you are describing is also occuring in one of the most common areas for a stress fracture. I'd recommend using some sort of device (cane, crutches, etc.) to keep weight off that foot until you can see a doctor, as the ramifications can be severe. From what you say, I'd say it's a stress fracture. Finish up your trip, using that foot as little as possible, and go see a doctor as soon as you can.

 

[yobarman]

Ouch, sounds like my situation

Saturday night i got really drunk and fell, but I think i just sprained it. It's a little black and blue, but all swollen up on the top of my foot.

 

[vi edit]

This thing doesn't make my trek from one side of O'Hare to the other much fun

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[vi edit]

The thing I'm trying to place is when it happened. I've haven't really done much high impact exercise in over a week or two because of traveling. The only thing I can think of is that I was moving a lot of heavy stuff (80 pound servers, monitors, ect). I don't recall any specific instances where it just started hurting.

Which I guess is why I suspected a stress fracture. I guess they can just "happen".

 

[DrNoobie]

Often you can't recall what led to the injury because it doesn't show up immediately. You could have damaged the bone, and then the heavy lifting brought on the pain. In metatarsal stress fractures, it can be up to a few weeks after the injury before it will even show on an x-ray.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: DrNoobie
Often you can't recall what led to the injury because it doesn't show up immediately. You could have damaged the bone, and then the heavy lifting brought on the pain. In metatarsal stress fractures, it can be up to a few weeks after the injury before it will even show on an x-ray.

Snicker.....I like DrNoobie! He keeps me on my toes with anatomy...get it? Toes...feet?

 

[DrNoobie]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: DrNoobie
Often you can't recall what led to the injury because it doesn't show up immediately. You could have damaged the bone, and then the heavy lifting brought on the pain. In metatarsal stress fractures, it can be up to a few weeks after the injury before it will even show on an x-ray.

Snicker.....I like DrNoobie! He keeps me on my toes with anatomy...get it? Toes...feet?

You like me? Score!
Slowly, but surely, I will woo you with dorky discussions of anatomy and biochemistry.

 

[Ime]

Bah, you just need to walk it off. Jump up and down on the hurting foot for awhile.

 

[Ymmy]

Had it before from running too much. It is a pain in the butt to heal, takes about 2-3 months.

 

[mandala]

Sounds to me like when I had plantar fasceitus (sp?) - fancy words for a "fallen arch" - when the muscles in your foot start to pull/tear away from the bones in that area of your foot. Luckilly, mine went away and I haven't had problems with it since.

Why haven't you gone in to see your doctor about it?

 

[vi edit]

Why haven't you gone in to see your doctor about it?

Because I'm over 1800 miles from home right now. It didn't start acting up until I was gone and I won't be back in till Thursday.

 

[Ime]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Why haven't you gone in to see your doctor about it?

Because I'm over 1800 miles from home right now. It didn't start acting up until I was gone and I won't be back in till Thursday.

If it was really bad enough goto the ER... um, assuming your insurance is better than mine...

 

[DrNoobie]

Originally posted by: mandala
Sounds to me like when I had plantar fasceitus (sp?) - fancy words for a "fallen arch" - when the muscles in your foot start to pull/tear away from the bones in that area of your foot. Luckilly, mine went away and I haven't had problems with it since.

Why haven't you gone in to see your doctor about it?

Plantar Fasciitis (commonly called heel spurs, though it is not a heel spur, but can lead to one) is a cause of heel pain, not the ball of the foot, and is the inflammation of the tissue (microscopic tears may occur on the plantar fascia, however), not the muscles tearing away.