Can You Run Thru a Stress Fracture?

Just from the stories I've heard, I wouldn't risk it. You're bone could snap completely, you may be forced to have surgery, or worse, you could never run again. I know how much it sucks taking time off (believe me i know!!!!) especially when you're in the best shape you've ever been. But I think it's the wisest thing to do. The time off will probably end up being beneficial to your body and mind. Good luck!

Since we're on the subject of sress fractures, does anyone know if it's normal to have twinges of pain in the area of a healed fracture? Not while running, just while sitting around or walking?

I've had four stress frectures as of now and I deffinatley have felt twinges in the fractured area while taking time off. It even twinges from time to time as I'm coming back(drives me crazy)and its healed fine. Apparently the muscles surounding the bone have a memory and contract to protect the area as your coming back or doing a bit of activity. Don't poke at the area it just bruises it and makes it feels worse, which ofcourse plays with your head. Just be patient, but as the old saying goes; "don't listen to a man with four stress fractures" If I had been a bit more patient myself I wouldn't be adjusting the strap on my pool belt right now.

Apparently, people have run through them. One of my college teammates and I were injured during the same season. We had x-rays taken at the same time and the trainer asked her when she had that stress fracture in her femur. The girl swears she didn't ever have a stress fracture, but I saw it in black and white on the x-ray. It looked giant compared to the little spot on my fibula.

For several years after I had the stress fracture (and it was small), I could feel it every now and then. Sometimes it used to just throb for no apparent reason.

yes you can. running with a stress fracture is no problem. You just have to be tough enough. the problem is you will not be able to walk, run or crawl after you complete your ONE run on it. I tried it and succeeded in running a 54:43 10 mile race in amazing pain. Of course i shattered the bone into 3 pieces and ended up being in a cast for several months and going through hell to recover. If you completely break the bone it will take a year to fully recover and feel normal. If you don't run on the stress fracture you will sacrifice maybe 2 months running in which you can x-train anyway and compete in the following season. your choice.

FUCKKKKKKKK NO. take my word for it. i tried and it hurts like a BIATCH. then it gets worse.

I was forced to race through them 3 years in a row in college. End result: Ran like shit for the next 2 years (once I could run again) & permenant damage.

I would say listen to the advice that leans towards caution.

they typically say 6 to 8 weeks completely off. And I hear that sometimes they don't completely heal.

I've run through one. It was severe enough to alter my stride and hurt like hell but i slowly went away. I did back off on the mileage however.

Perhaps I'm lucky.

But yes, it is possible to run through one.

What does it feel like? Either I've got crazy shin splints or a muscle pull in one leg or a stress fracture.

I didn't have a stress fracture in my shin....i have one in my foot. The navicular bone. Last track season i felt it coming but it soon went away b/c the season ended about a week later. Then after about a month off....we started training for XC and it didn't really affect my running until the middle of July. Then after that it slowly and gradually got worse and worse. I couldn't push off with my right foot any more and speed workouts seemed to really push the pain. When the meets started i would end up limping through the line...and the next day i couldn't walk right. Any way i decided to call it quits for the season. After many x-rays, mri's and different doctors. I'm getting a screw put through the fracture b/c its not healing b/c its completely seperated and there's fluid in between. I'm actually getting it in a week. I'll be on crutches for 6 weeks and a walking boot for another 6. So along with my XC season...my track season's gone 2. So yeah i'd suggest not to risk it. Out of the 10 people that have responded to you....one got lucky and didn't hurt himself/herself. So i'd suggest to just take a little time off and bike or swim during that time. Hope everything works out

I tried to run through a stress fracture in HS.

1. It hurt like hell.

2. I ran like crap.

3. I had to take 3 months off eventually anyway.

4. My left calf is still smaller than my right 10 yrs. later.

I've got two meets left . . . After that I'm taking a three week break of biking and maybe some swimming. The big problem is I can never get my parents to bring me to the doctor. Hell, my brother broke his arm and played baseball with it for a month before my father brought him to a doctor.

If you have a very significant meet for your team coming up that you feel you can do well in, then do that last race and you can probably tough it out. Last year I developed a stress fracture in my foot two weeks before our conference meet and just cross trained through those last two weeks and just gritted out an 800 leg of our team's DMR and did alright, so you can definitely race through it for one race. After that race, I couldn't even stand long enough to cool down my foot was so fukked up. Added about another week to my recovery which was only a month. If you don't have a big meet or might not have a big impact, I'd get started on recovery right now and if you cross train well enough, you can definitely be strong enough and well enough in time to have a good outdoor season.

what the hell are you trying to tell this guy?? let me just say that i have had a stress fracture in my left tibia and i did run a race on it. not only did my times suck the world's largest shit, but my leg hurt like a f***er after that race. i tried taping it, it didn't work. i spent the next two and a half MONTHS off running and doing physical therapy. not only does that cost a shitload of money (which thank god my insurance paid for) but it sucked up a lot of my time and made me fatter and slower. only now am i recovering.. i have about another month left before i reach my previous condition. trust me. it is NOT worth it. i was too eager to try running on my stress fracture during my recovery so it never really got a chance to heal quickly.

just take care of your leg. my suggestion is to take care of it as quickly as possible so that you can return to recovery ASAP. sleep a lot, drink a lot of water, eat healthy (lots of milk, etc), and cross train. however, don't bike in the beginning. ease yourself from aqua-running to swimming to biking. swimming may irritate your foot because of the kicking, but you can try swimming with your arms only (just build up your upper body). don't lift weights too soon either. keep pressure off! and don't forget to ice. my leg was pretty inflamed the whole time. anyways, luck with your sf, let us know how it goes.

OK SO EARLIER SOMEONE ASKED IF ITS NORMALL TO HAVE TWINGES IN IN A ALREADY HEALED STRESS FRACTURE. WELL i HAD A STRESS FRACTURE AT THE END OF MY CROSS COUNTRY SEASON. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT BASKETBALL WAS STARTING SOON SO I ONLY HAD 3.5 WEEKS TO HEAL IT. AT THE END OF THE 3.5 WEEKS I WAS RELEASED TO PLAY, BUT TO THIS DAY I AM CONVINCED MY LEG WAS PROBABLY NOT COMPLETELY HEALED. MY LEG DIDN'T HURT DURING BASKETBALL SEASON, EXCEPT MAYBE A COUPLE RANDOM TIMES. BUT NOT I'M GETTING THOSE TWINGES BUT IM AFRAID IT COULD BE WORSE THAN JUST A TWINGE. ANY HELP?

No you definitely can't run through it. First off I think the pain would become unbearable, but if you could somehow take it you would evenutally cause a full fracture and end up being out of the game for months.

this video should answer your question. fast forward to about 1:35.

one of the toughest SOB's i know ran through dual femoral stress fractures. It can be done, but be prepared for some serious agony. Note it was his last xc season and cumulated at ncaa nats; you might not attempt if you have years of competing left

Tom Rogozinski, who ran for Penn State and then Division II school IUP, ran the Runnersworld TransAmerica race in 1992. Tom was leading in Kansas, when he got a stress fracture in one leg. Then, when coming across Ohio, he got a stress fracture in his other leg. He hung on to finish third:

Results 1992

(28 starters, 13 finishers)

Runner's World Trans America Footrace

Huntington Beach CA to New York NY

June 20 to August 22, 1992 - 2935.8 miles

1. David Warady, 35, USA CA - 521:35:57

2. Milan Milanovic, 32 SUI - 527:16:21 (+5:40:24)

3. Tom Rogozinski, 24 USA - 528:48:54 (+7:12:57)

It can be done....

Hoovis

It can be done, but your fracture won't heal... it will probably end up breaking. Yeah maybe you'll feel like a hero the first two weeks you have to take time off with some tough guy story, but then the next six weeks-2 years you will really redefine what you consider "tough."