Why not run through a stress fracture?

One of my teammates didn't know he had one (thought it was some other kind of injury), and it did end up snapping during an 800m race. He did manage to come back several months later and equal his PR in the 1500m.

I had one, and ran through the last 6 weeks of the track season with it. It hurt, especially going over barriers, but it was managable, and I set a PR in the steeple. I then took a bit of time off after the season, and haven't had any problem with the site since.

Where did you get the statistics that "in the 70s and 80s there were far fewer?" The trainers at the college that I work have always made it known that there are other problems associated with stress fractures. The main thing being compesatory injuries. I have personally run on one for about 4-5 weeks and have known others to do the same but, because of the pain and the resulting change in stride, you become open to other injuries too. No matter how much you focus on not changing your stride, the body wants to protect itself and won't let it (your stride) be normal.

So, could you "run through it?" Maybe. But you'd definitely be way more at risk to further injure yourself whether it's other injuries or the break itself.

The main question is, if you have a broken bone, why the hell would you even want to run through it? I would think that's the body telling you to back off.

where's the proof? wrote:They are so prevelent now. In the 70s and 80s there were far fewer. Some attribute it to the change in shoe types. Shoes used to be more flexible, less restrictive, closer to the motion one would have running barefoot. Others say there were no MRI's or bone scans, they didn't know they had fractures so they treated them like bad shin splints and ran through them. If you change your shoe type, run on softer surfaces and maybe take a day off a week, is it possible to run through a fracture? What do some of the more experianced runners think? Malmo did you ever run through what you think now might have been a fracture?

"What you 'think' might have been a stress fracture?"

When you get a stress fracture there's no doubt about it. Yes I had a stress fracture in March of my Senior year. Ten weeks later I set the AR at nationals. I was painful, as much mental as physical, getting lit up by guys you'd normally beat while running crappy 4:15 miles.

Stress fracture, like all injuries heal with time. Some you can run on and some you cannot. the only person who can determine that is you.

Good luck.

dude, have you ever had a stress fracture?

they can become very painful. many i've had have been difficult to walk around campus on. they would've been basically impossible for me to run through

Mine was incredibly painful. I couldn't even jog a lap at any pace, much less run a distance race. I guess, however, that there are less severe types than mine, the kinds that allow you to run through them.

I was told by my doctor that it depends on what's fractured as to whether you can run through it, and for how long. In my case (tibia), he told me that I could try and run through it, then it would break, then I'd have to have a metal rod in my shin. I didn't run through it.

I heard a second hand story (from the runner's coach, not the runner) about a guy who had a chance to go to nationals, doctor said he could do it, trained in pain for 4 weeks or so, and.... it snapped in mid race.

Yes, the first poster sounds like they've never had a stress fracture before.

Unfortunately, I've had 6, all at different times and locations. I tried to "run through" my first stress fracture in my foot, and it fractured completely through and swelled up to the size of a football; it took a long 14 weeks to heal and be pain free. If you've never had one, you can't even imagine how painful they are. It feels like trying to run with a knife through the bone. The pain becomes so unbearable you simply can't run. Someone on here mentioned that it's possible to run through a fibular stress fracture because there's less weight bearing on this bone (any truth to this???).

Basically, you don't run through them because you risk completely fracturing the bone, prolonging the healing process, suffering swelling, inflammation, EXTREME pain, possible deformity or necrosis of the bone, and other secondary ailments due to altered biomechanics.

Our bones are constantly remodeling according to the stress placed on them (breaking down with hard training and building back up with rest). You most likely get a stress fracture because the bone was breaking down faster than building back up. If you were to keep running on it, it wouldn't get the adequate rests it needs to build back up.

Any truth to the studies that say stress fractures are on the rise because people now drink much more soda, especially in their youth, when most bone mass is built? How much soda did Ritz drink from 13-18 years of age?

idealist wrote:

I was told by my doctor that it depends on what's fractured as to whether you can run through it, and for how long. In my case (tibia), he told me that I could try and run through it, then it would break, then I'd have to have a metal rod in my shin. I didn't run through it.

I heard a second hand story (from the runner's coach, not the runner) about a guy who had a chance to go to nationals, doctor said he could do it, trained in pain for 4 weeks or so, and.... it snapped in mid race.

This has all the makings of an urban legend...

it sounds believable to me

I have actually had four stress fractures, two were very very painful, and I did not back off at all before stopping. I am wondering if there is another way besides the typical 6-8 weeks off. Maybe by running carefully and catering to its needs. If it is a mild one 'stress reaction' can I keep it from getting too bad, it makes no sense to stop at the tail end of my college career, although I do plan to run seriosly afterwards and I don't want to jeopardise that. I'll post the link about the rise of stress fractures and also achiles injuries soon.

I've had 6: one third meta-tarsal, two fibular (don't even ask how I got those ... I don't know--it's a non-stress bearing bone), three tibial (two left, one right).

No way to run through the meta-tarsal. I got it a week before state finals in JC x-country. Took the week off. Ran the race and took 8th--then couldn't even get into a shoe after I took off my racing flat, the darn thing got so swollen; had to wear a cast for 6 weeks after that.

Tried to run through each of the tibials, and in each case developed so much inflamation and other injuries that eventually I had to stop--good way to turn 5-6 weeks of recovery into a couple months of completely shitty training ... and then 5 weeks of recovery.

I've heard people run through them and succeed (like Malmo above), but I don't know how they do it.

Good luck whatever you choose!!!

Anyone who says it is ok to run through a stress fracture is a dumbass.

...thought those with chronic shin or achilles injuries, like me, might find this interesting

Running Shoes, by Paul Talbot

I've been thinking a lot about the training shoe question lately. If we look at the shoes from the early 70's and earlier, they were no more than what we today would consider racing flats and people put in 100+ mile weeks in them, no problem (and they were probably faster 100 mile weeks as well). If we look at the days of interval training, we'll find distance runners getting in 100+ mile weeks on the track in spikes!

Gordon Pirie (former 5,000 WR holder) argued that 70% of running injuries today are directly attributable to the poor running shoes of today that force people to run incorrectly (and that correct running is injury free).

In his book, "Marty Liquori's Guide for the Elite Runner," Liquori states that before the market became dominated by shoes aimed at the common jogger, achilles tendon problems were virtually unknown.

Lydiard advocated training and racing in the lightest shoes possible.

Modern shoes force most people to run in a particular way. They are designed to reduce pronation, force a heel strike, "protect" the ankle or achilles tendon, etc. If you run barefoot you will find that a) it is nearly impossible to land on your heel, the natural motion is ball of the foot strike or flat footed strike, and b) there is no noticible pronation.

The heel-strike character of most running shoes is troublesome. First, the heel is not a natural shock absorber. Your arch, and foot are the first areas of shock absorption while the achilles and calf muscles control pronation. Furthermore, landing flat footed allows for the knee to come over the foot and bend more quickly which allows the legs to take up more of the shock absorption. Some studies have actually shown that barefooted running is more shock absorbent than running in common running shoes. Secondly, because most shoes are designed for a heel-strike, they build up the "cushioning" under the heel. While this undoubtedly helps absorb some of the shock that jars your leg bones while heel-striking, the build up of cushioning under the heel also elevates the heel. This can have a shortening effect on the achilles and calf which can make it more prone to injury. The build also reduces stability. This is often compensated for by other gadgets in the shoe which try to hold the heel firmly in place and reduce the pronation (which is a way the body reduces shock). Unfortunately, this places more and more burden on the achilles and calf to control the foot when it hits the ground.

Lets remember that the shoe industry is based on the average, overweight, weekend jogger and not the serious runner. I don't mean to trash the entire shoe industry here, some models are very good, but at the same time lets realize that many of the injuries of today were rare 25 years ago and can be attributable to the shoes of today.

For many -- perhaps most -- a light, simple shoe that tries to do the least may be the best.

Incidentally, the best "cure" for any lower leg injuries has always been, for me, to run a few miles barefoot on grass. This has worked for me for shin splints and plantar fascia problems.

Many are sure to disagree with what I've said here, that's fine, but I thought I'd put forth one perspective for people to think about.

Paul Talbot

TO anyone:

on a stress fracture, where do u feel it mostly? And if I get one, how quick til its recovered?

8 runner wrote:

Anyone who says it is ok to run through a stress fracture is a dumbass.

and you are....????

November 11th 2003 I got a stress fracture on a run cause by I think running too fast on a long concrete downhill, I also ran on an uneven diagonal trail for a bit and went too hard and too long for my fitness. I wore New balance 855's. I took ten weeks off and have trained for 11 weeks now. In the first week I had some slight pain but I continued on and it disappeard but about 3 weeks ago occasionally there has been some pain but I was in the middle of training for the Carlsbad 5000 so I tried to back off a little bit and it went away. I would have to drop the volume and intensity a little bit and run what I need to run. If I do too much too hard it would come back but I relax and I am able to train a little bit. It is gone right now.

In 1992 a guy in the Trans -America Race from LA to NY ran 50 miles a day on a metatarsal fracture from St. Louis to NY. Finished 3rd. Thing was swollen grotesquely but running was doable for him

nice thread guys, basically i think ive got a stress fracture but need some advice. the pain started about 7 weeks ago, just woke up after a good session and couldnt walk, few days later had x ray which showed nothing, had complete rest for a few weeks, thought was getting better but couldnt run, now can walk ok and have ran the last 2 days. pain is still there . its on my right foot, on the bone just above the arch, confused as i think it might not be stress fracture, has never swelled, or no pain pressure point, just wehn i try to go up on my toes, has anyone had any simular injury, and do you lot(malmo) suggest i run through it for a few weeks. been to long resting , and fed up of bike,swim stuff