Can You Run Thru a Stress Fracture?

Yes, it is possible to run through a stress fracture, for a while. But be prepared for this to happen:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=67nfdeSDYzU

If this is a current issue with you I would take time off now before track season really starts. Otherwise you'll have no chance at the end of the season. If you take care of it now, you'll have a great chance of doing really well in just a few months. Especially if you continue to cross train in place of running.

run medical doctor in training wrote:

What idiot would ask this???!!!

If you are really a "medical doctor in training" then you may want to take some sensibility training unless you want a crap-load of malpractice suits. Is that what you will say to a patient if they come in with a stress fracture and say "can I still run though?"

It is a perfectly legitimate question because many people try since they don't want to take time off of running. It actually happens quite a bit near the end of seasons. People get a stress fracture during their most intense training weeks and it shows up with a week or 2 left in the season, during the most important meets. I've actually heard doctors tell kids to just take a bunch of Ibuprofen and finish up the season and then rest. Sometimes they get lucky and make it while others break their legs completely. I've seen both in coaching and with teammates. I'll tell you though, the ones who treat it immediately come back a lot sooner. "Are you willing to sacrifice this season or future seasons" is the question you should ask.

Salazar did it in the late 70s. Ran thru a tibial SF.

Dellinger had this story about Salazar squirming when asked about how much he had run that day, "....12...but it felt ok!"

Seb Coe had a stress fracture when he was younger (17 I believe.)

He took from april to november off from running. (8 months!)

He took a lot of time off, but he turned out alright. (two gold and two silver medals.)

Point is: TAKE TIME OFF, BE CAUTION, DON"T COME BACK TOO SOON

I have a tibial stress fracture and thought it was shin splints for 3 weeks now. Only recently, have I stopped running and am only cycling, swimming, and aqua jogging.

I'm registered to run in Boston April 20th and still want to run.

For anyone that has had this stress fracture, do you think it's possible to run a marathon in 5 weeks? My endurace and cardio is fine, I'm just worried about being healed enough to do it.

Suggestions? Advice?

Tom was an incredible runner and suffered pretty bad in the 1992 TransAm. He was the toughest competitor I had in the race. I have the ultimate respect for Tom.

by all the responses i see you shouldn't run with any major fracture but i have two stress fractures in my foot (small bones near toes) has hurt for 2 weeks now and i am planning on running a marathon tomorrow. Is there as much risk with the smaller injuries as with a major bone?

I have stress fracture L shin. I want to run the goofy challenge Jan. 9/10. Any thoughts on this happening. Should I rest/ low impact/ or just forget about this race for this year

I am just coming back from a posterior tibial stress fracture. It did not present as shin splints it felt more like a calf tear or Achilles tear. Anyway, I took 7 &1/2 weeks off (6 past MRI results as per doctor's orders) and I feel "the twinge" people here are talking about. I don't feel any pain while running or weight bearing but it's freaking me out. Also I ran for a month, completing a marathon relay with the fracture and yes it sucked. Doctor said it was a minor fracture, still wondering if I took enough time off?