Hi everyone,
I'm just recovering from a sacral stress fracture (awful!). I was off running for 10 weeks and only did Aqua jogging as cross training. I've been easing back into running the past 3 weeks. It doesn't hurt at all to run or even after. The only thing I still "feel" is the sensation when putting on pants. That's the only time I feel it. Is that normal?? No doctor has been able to tell me :) any advice would be soooo appreciated!
I had one a few years back and was out for about 3 months as well. It's pretty normal to feel little sensations like that especially when standing on one leg trying to put pants on. It's almost like a feeling where you're pulling a bandaid off something but it doesn't come off. It's most likely just sensitive after not doing loading activities for a few months and just your body getting use to more weight bearing stuff again. Take it easy coming back with mileage increases and such and you'll probably be fine. After I came back from mine I started knocking out PR's about 5- 6 months after I started up again and have had no problems since but I definitely eased back into it.
Thank you so much for the quick response!! I'm so worried about it not being ready, but I would think it would hurt to run if it wasn't healed. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for the quick response!! I'm so worried about it not being ready, but I would think it would hurt to run if it wasn't healed. Thank you!!
Bump
Not sure if this will be helpful, but figured I would give my experience since it's not a super common injury. I had one 3 years ago and didn't run for 10 weeks either. About 6 weeks into that 10 weeks, I stopped feeling any soreness whatsoever (which made me want to run sooner, but I held off). When I started back up running after 10 weeks, I had no soreness during or after or with anything that used o hurt it (putting on pants). I never had any residual pain/sensations after that 10 weeks. I have heard though of people who do have some soreness in the area after but then goes away. I would say it's probably okay if it isn't hurting at all running or after and as long as the symptoms don't start to worsen.
Ok, so I've been running 5 miles and got up to 7 today. No pain, which is great. I got an MRI to ease my mind (and so I could stop driving my husband crazy), and the doctor sent me a Facebook message saying there was the same swelling on the bone as the first MRI. I took 10 weeks off, and I'm running without pain! How is that even possible? Could it have always been like that? This makes absolutely no sense to me. Wouldn't a stress fracture hurt to run 7 miles? Even a little??? Pleeeeaasse help!
Lydia wrote:
Ok, so I've been running 5 miles and got up to 7 today. No pain, which is great. I got an MRI to ease my mind (and so I could stop driving my husband crazy), and the doctor sent me a Facebook message saying there was the same swelling on the bone as the first MRI. I took 10 weeks off, and I'm running without pain! How is that even possible? Could it have always been like that? This makes absolutely no sense to me. Wouldn't a stress fracture hurt to run 7 miles? Even a little??? Pleeeeaasse help!
An MRI is useful; so is what your body tells you, if you're listening. Try to remember what you felt like leading up to the stress fracture. Perhaps there is residual swelling, or it could be that you are in the early stages of a reoccurrence. Either way, play it safe. Take a few weeks and go back to the pool and aqua-run. Run 15-20 minutes every other day to keep your legs a little accustomed to running. You might discuss with your physician; ask what would be a reasonable amount of time to wait before doing another MRI, and stick to the pool and just a bit of running during that period. Don't take anti-inflammatories unless your doctor recommends them; my thinking is that their use would most likely allow you to train into another injury.
I had a sacral stress fracture 4 years ago and I still have "phantom" sensations that border on pain. They don't happen very often and are usually very momentary, but I feel them from time to time when running or doing exercises.
I was told by my physical trainer that this is a common thing especially for sacral stress fractures, so I wouldn't be worried! Just make sure the sensation is only momentary and doesn't approach the pain of the actual stress fracture.
Thank you so much for this!
all the best
I’m having a similar issue in that the bone edema/swelling has not improved in 9 weeks of rest from running. The fracture is healing but the edema is still there. Did you have any further complications or did the edema simply resolve as you progressed in your recovery? Thank you in advance!