Is 5 weeks overly cautious to go without running for a stress reaction for the calcaneous (heel)? My first doctor told me 4 weeks off (2weeks nothing/2weeks cross training) and then I got a second opinion from a different doctor. The second doctor told me that he isnt even sure that it was/is a stress reaction but that I should take a total of 5 weeks off. I've now taken 3 weeks off with no running and no cross training.
I can only comment on my experience. I had a stress reaction of the fibula last year and I ran through it. I knew I was playing with fire, and I probably got lucky. Five week seems a bit much maybe, but I don't know for sure.
The fibula is essentially a nonweightbearing (90% nonweightbearing) bone so the treatment and prognosis will be different.
4 to 5 weeks is about right for a stress reaction/stress fracture of a weightbearing bone. I go as for as putting patients in fracture boot for 2 to 4 weeks more so to keep them from "cheating".
To me a stress reaction is an injury that "acts like" a stress fracture on examining the patient but the x-ray looks negative. An MRI or bone scan should be positive. However often the insurance won't cover the MRI or bone scan well (50 to 70%) so I give the patient the option of just relying on my experience and clinical judgement.
For the heel bone, consider a bone cyst if the MRI was positive but you're not better after 1 to 2 months.
thanks so far for the words of wisdom
bump for any more ideas? Maybe from one who had something like this with the calcaneus?