Does this sound like a stress fracture?

If you have pain on top of a metatarsal, the odds are it is a sfx. The pain from a sfx can radiate in different directions, which can be deceptive. In the early stages, it is possible to run with a stress fracture/reaction. However, the pain will usually persist throughout the run.

So, why play with fire. Hit the pool and get to the Dr. asap. If it is a stress fracture, every day you run on it is another day you could have been in recovery.

It doesn't sound like a stress fracture to me. If you had a stress fracture, running should be very painful from the first step. With a stress fracture, you can palpate (feel) the area around the fracture with little or no pain, but when you push on the fracture site, you will be inspired to jump higher than you ever have before.

It doesn't matter what it is, you shouldn't be running on it while it's symptomatic. The pool is a great idea. Deep water run for a couple of weeks then start back really slowly (i.e. just a mile the first time, if that works do 2 miles in two days etc) in your new shoes.

If that doesn't work, you should visit a good podiatrist. Hopefully one that runs.

You may have solved your own problem with new shoes. But the damage is done. New shoes won't change the fact that you are already injured.

No expert here but it doesn't sound like a sf to me. But a simply 2 minute x-ray with determine that. Take the advice of sfx and get to a doc asap. It could be plantar faciatus (spelling?)too. I've also known runners that have had something like you describe only to find out they were jacking up their laces too tight.

sfx central wrote:

If you have pain on top of a metatarsal, the odds are it is a sfx. The pain from a sfx can radiate in different directions, which can be deceptive. In the early stages, it is possible to run with a stress fracture/reaction. However, the pain will usually persist throughout the run.

So, why play with fire. Hit the pool and get to the Dr. asap. If it is a stress fracture, every day you run on it is another day you could have been in recovery.

Just answering a part of this. The pain is not on the top of the bone but the side/bottom right where the arch tissue touches it.

If it hurts to touch the metatarsal, it's possible, but really the pain should be quite excruciating, from start to finish of your run if it's a stress fracture. Try rolling a golf ball on your arch. If the pressure makes the bone hurt at a very specific location, then it could be a stress fracture, but if it's not in the bone, then it will just hurt in the soft tissue. If it's in the soft tissue, just keep rolling the golf ball on it and it will help. If it feels like it's in the bone, then get an x-ray and start cross training.

3 points:

1) The concensus so far is that you probably don't have a stress fracture, because you can run on it, but you should take the injury seriously.

2) Don't expect an x-ray to rule out a stress fracture. You can't spot a stress fracture on an x-ray until it's already started healing.

3) MRI's are extremely expensive. Hope you have good medical insurance if you get one because it could cost you $1,500. or more.

bump.

What was the diagnosis on this pain? How did you treat it?