Can pain from stress fractures go away with rest?

If you caught it early enough, yes. I'd take another few days off though.

Stay off of it until you're completely sure of what it is.

Let's say it's not a fracture: Oh, no, you lost two weeks of training.

If it is and you keep on running, you lose a season. Sure the pain may go away but it doesn't mean it's better.

I had a pain that was similar to yours in the same area. I took a few days off, and it didn't get better, so I went to the school trainer. He always assumes worst-case scenario, so he assumed that it was a stress fracture, and told me not to run for the next to days and not to race on Saturday, but I did anyway. The pain didn't get any worse, and it is now believed to be a minor case of adductor muscle overuse, which I can race with. What I learned from this is that you shouldn't always assume that it is a fracture or something else serious. Best of luck to you, and I hope that your hip gets better!

No, pain doesn't go away with rest. Heat in particular increases any inflammation and therefore, increases the pain.

Put a washcloth in a bowl of icewater, wring out just enough so it doesn't drip but keeps in the cold, and apply the washcloth to the area with the pain. Do this for 30 to 60 seconds, then move around and see if you can feel the pain anywhere, then apply the icewater washcloth again. Keep alternating these until the area has cooled down and the pain has subsided. Repeat three times a day, and anytime the pain has returned.

Sounds like IT Band issues. I've had the same problems. Run through it, it goes away sooner or later.

XC-Kid910 wrote:

Sounds like IT Band issues. I've had the same problems. Run through it, it goes away sooner or later.

Again, this is undoubtedly some of the dumbest advice you'll ever get on this site. Wait until you know.

Ok thanks for all the info. Sometimes when I'm sitting at night I'll get a dull ache in my lower back. I'm not sure if this could signify a sfx... What do u think? It's better when I stand up

Probably your clothes are binding up in back when you sit.

I always make sure my clothes have plenty of room in the butt and are flexible for that reason.

Sfx wrote:

Ok thanks for all the info. Sometimes when I'm sitting at night I'll get a dull ache in my lower back. I'm not sure if this could signify a sfx... What do u think? It's better when I stand up

Crazed is right. Wait it out. Worst thing that can happen then is, like he said, losing another week of practice. Early in the season, no less.

I knew a girl in HS who was looking to be #2 in the state but got a stress reaction. Took time off but came back just for the state meet (the team had made it). Only made it to the mile before being carted off because she had completely fractured it.

Get the MRI and see what it is.

I should probably mention that because of her decision to come back too early she missed the entire indoor season and the first 1/4 of spring track.

Really... wrote:

I knew a girl in HS who was looking to be #2 in the state but got a stress reaction. Took time off but came back just for the state meet (the team had made it). Only made it to the mile before being carted off because she had completely fractured it.

That simply proves that taking time off is NOT a good remedy and is harmful. Why get tested by the same people who gave the stupid advice in the first place.

Use it or lose it.

J.R. wrote:

Really... wrote:

I knew a girl in HS who was looking to be #2 in the state but got a stress reaction. Took time off but came back just for the state meet (the team had made it). Only made it to the mile before being carted off because she had completely fractured it.

That simply proves that taking time off is NOT a good remedy and is harmful. Why get tested by the same people who gave the stupid advice in the first place.

Use it or lose it.

...can't tell if troll or just stupid...

Really... wrote:

...can't tell if I'm a troll or just stupid...

Listen to J.R.

A simple ice cold damp washcloth will penetrate four inches of body temperature ski, muscle and fat with its cooling super-healing capabilities and you'll be in top form in no time.

Actually just rest.

How is the pain if you stand on the injured hip/leg and jump on one foot? More pain=bad sign. That said, many things can be run through, and then get worse. Rest/ PT is usually a good choice. But, the reality is, it depends what you're dealing with.

I'm in my 30s.... ran through a bout of patella tendonitis in HS (an easy to treat injury) Didn't treat it, didn't rest it, didn't ice it, didn't do any PT... ended up with a screwed up knee that made me miss all of track season. Had I treated in early in the injury, problem would have been solved quickly. Now despite all this, I'm still running decades later, so odds are you'll be fine. But early season injury - especially if you are ramping up your mileage after a summer of lower mileage/limited speed work... it all points to some sort of easy to treat overuse injury that you just want to ease back into things with.

If you're got the MRI scheduled, ice as the earlier poster described, get the facts, and you'll be fine by the time the races you care about are approaching.