Last week I posted about having a possible stress fracture. I was pretty postive due to the nature of the feeling and my doctor’s remarks that I had a stress fracture. His remarks were: Although it hasn’t shown up on the X-ray, I’m confident you have a stress fracture so we will do more tests.
Since I woke up in this pain (I never felt any pain while running) I had some sort of hope it was just a bruise. On a side note I really did wake up on the wrong side of the bed last Friday.
My X-ray last week came out clean. No abnormalities. My doctor and I were still confident that I had a stress fracture so he ordered some more tests. It was more difficult since I had just had both an X-ray and an MRI on my other foot.
Long introduction short after getting some more indepth tests done, I do have a second metatarsal stress fracture. I thought I was being careful coming back from my arch problem last month (other foot). I didn’t start running until I felt good so I wasn’t overcompensating. I didn’t up my miles to fast and the only speed work I did in the last two months was a 1 mile road race.
Last Friday was the first day I felt the pain my foot. I literally just woke up in a lot of pain. My previous run on Thursday felt fine. At work the previous day I told my coworker I planned to race in a Labor Day 5k since I was injury free.
But I do have a minor stress fracture and no amount of questioning is going to heal my bones any faster. (but a bone stimulator will…hint hint…)
I have deffered my fall marathon. I don’t plan to do any fall marathons. I don’t know if I plan to do any spring marathons. The only one I would really consider would be Shamrock in VA Beach…but who knows my recovery rate.
Or maybe I’ll wait even longer, marathons are abundant and I like the half marathon better.
Shockingly, I didn’t cry when the doctor told me “You have a stress fracture”. I thought I would. I don’t really even feel sorry for myself. I don’t really know how to feel. I feel like when you are too shocked to really know what to think. Almost like when a relationship is ended so abruptly you are still in the processing phase.
If I was having a great training cycle, I would feel more mental pain. The fact is I wasn’t having a confident cycle and my body probably just needed more rest and time away from running. I never had any terrible runs but since April I haven’t had any runs that really stuck out to me either. It was just meh.
Being injured stinks and I’m not happy about it (at all) but at the same time my life is not over and I will keep moving on. In November and December, (knock on wood) I should be running again. Hopefully I’ll be running happy and with a new found (from my long lost) passion. While I’m upset I’m not devestated. It’s more obnoxious because it’s harder to walk (at the pace I would like too).
So what is my recovery timeline looking like?
I’m currently 10 days into recovery. If I heal appropriately it will be between 4-6 weeks to heal. It’s not a full break, in fact it’s not bad break at all. Two days ago I stopped taking any pain meds. I could be running again by early to mid October (running being a mile or two). I won’t be running any sort of consistent mileage until November. This is all reliant on healing appropriately though.
Finally, what has my training been like since being injured? (The point of this post…)
Since Sunday’s are my normal training post this is easy enough: I haven’t done anything since last Friday. I joined a pool only to find out the pool was closed for rennovations until next week. I’ll get into the pool next week. I guess I could have just written that paragraph and had the shortest “training” post ever.
Questions for you:
Have you ever had a second metatarsal stress fracture? Or stress fracture in general? What are your healing secrets?
What is an activity you like to do outside of working out?
My stress reaction wasn’t there, it was more toward my heel, and thankfully, not a full fracture. I just took the 7 weeks off, no healing secrets there except I had people telling me to try to run anyway or do a race anyway (“Just walk it”) and the secret for me was not to listen to them…
Wishing you quick healing vibes… so crazy that you joined a pool and it turned out to be closed for renovations! But I think swimming is a good activity and remember when you used to swim on the swim team too. As far as non-running activities, I like going to the pool to lay out and read (haha) as well as painting, church, volunteer work, etc.
Bone stimulator FTW.
Depending on how long it takes me to get back to running volume, I may be doing 26.2 at Shamrock as well. I will hope that you can take lots of calcium and vitamin D and get a bone stimulator and heal up at a rate that puzzles the doctors.
Shamrock for the win. I hope I recover as quickly as you do.
Never had a stress fracture. Glad you got it diagnosed so you can move on and take a break from running to let it heal. It seems like that’s where all of this needed to go for now. That being said, sorry you’re going through it, I know it all sucks and all injuries hurt to go through, even if you weren’t feeling fabulous beforehand. I don’t know much about healing a stress fracture so unfortunately no help there. Hang in there and heal!
I had a stress fracture on my shin in the spring, but it healed rather quickly because I believe I caught it super early and stopped running. I think it was the result of winter running on ice and too much speed work (I have access to a track year round – so I was always on the track). It never really hurt bad – one limping incident and it hurt a bit when I was demoing A’s and hurdle moves at track. I could hop on it and it was never so awful that I had to take pain mess. took 5 weeks off. I resumed running very slowly and in week 7 of marathon training. But I’m taking that super cautious – no speed work, lower mileage and very very slow. I think it is going to be next year by the time I start going fast again
Man oh man. You are being so mature, smart, and responsible in response to this injury. I hear you on the walking slow problem. Gotta maintain that quick turnover even when you’re not running! 😉
Last summer when I got my 2nd metatarsal stress fracture the doctor told me three weeks no running. I was so happy he said three instead of four-six. Even when I told him three weeks later it still hurt, he said no problem you can still start running. Well after three weeks of running I couldn’t even walk. I went to a different doctor and ended up with another stress fracture in my medial cuneiform and first metatarsal. Then I had to take seven weeks off of running. I cross trained the entire time both times. So wait until your foot is completely pain free to start running!!
Thanks for the advice. I am not really one that runs through pain so that won’t be an issue. 🙂
Are you wearing a boot? I didn’t have one he first time, but the second time I did and it seemed to help.
I’ve had one. It’s such a bummer, esp since some days I really wasn’t in a TON of pain… it’s like “I COULD TOTALLY RUN RIGHT NOW!!” For me, it was paying attention to my body, and cross training. I rode my bike a TON and that’s how I believe I got to where I am today, doing triathlons.
I have never had a stress fracture, but I can’t imagine the frustration. but hey, at least you get to get back in the pool 🙂
me trying to think positive……hahaha
One of my goals this year, is to get back swimming more
Crap, I’m so sorry it’s a stress fracture 🙁
I’m glad it’s come at, if there is such a thing, a reasonably acceptable time. At least now you will, as you say, get back to running with renewed focus and energy.
With all of my pelvic stress fractures, I ended up swimming and cycling a lot. Sadly I never improved at either of them though, and I was always moving at granny-pace. Still, it helped me to retain some cardio fitness, at least. I also started taking super-strength calcium and vitamin D3 supplements, so perhaps those might help if you don’t take those already?
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Sorry to hear about your latest bump in the road. Having many injuries and my latest being surgery last winter, I came back to running with a different perspective. Your body probably is trying to tell you something and maybe rest is what it is. I also started swimming to have an alternative type of exercise for when I could not run. I’ve learned to love my running more now, but not having a schedule, pace, or distance in mind. I run now when I feel like it and if I skip than so be it. Running is part of my life. Not my life. Letting go of expectations of where I should be was the best thing I did for my training. I am training for health and for life and not just for races anymore. I have found that with this perspective I have enjoyed time away from the sport doing non-running things like spending time with my dogs, husband, family, and friends. Best of luck girl!!
Thank you so much Hilary! You are right and it’s one of the huge reasons I’m not as disappointed. I will always be able to rest and recover and hopefully stay strong. Training for health and life (in my opinion) is one of the most important things you can do!
I’m sorry, having a stress fracture sucks. I haven’t had a stress fracture but have had an ongoing battle with achilles tendonitis so I definitely know how frustrating the whole injury and recovery process can be. Hope you feel better soon!
So sorry to hear about your stress fracture. I just started following your blog and was really enjoying hearing about your training. I hope you heal quickly. You have a great positive attitude even though this really stinks. Hang in there and stay strong!
Thank you for stopping by and commenting Heather, that means a lot. I hope I’ll be training in the winter and spring again for a new race. 🙂
I’ve never had that kind of injury like yours, but I do have adrenal fatigue and I had to give up running for quite some time(I still cannot run!) so I feel terrible about not being about to workout the way I want to. I sort of feel imcomplete.
“(but a bone stimulator will…hint hint…)”
Have you checked eBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Exogen+4000
Yeah I have actually! It’s such a little known gem for that!
Think I replied somewhere else on this (yes going insane from no running)… stressies suck! I’m on my 6th week and still feeling pain in my sacrum… I was at first ok I’m going to swim, going t do all this cross training blah blah, it didn’t go to plan, convinced myself rest is best, although had the odd swim here and there hmm anyway everyone keeps telling me I will come back stronger hm… :/ I will return a fatty haha… Ok sorry have nothing positive to say, Im depressed without running in my life! Lets hope we both do really come back faster and stronger!!! 🙂
I apologize for what seems like passing on the injury torch. I’m glad you’re in good spirits about it, though. You just have to look on the bright side… Less miles on the sneakers means they will last longer?
Haha, I’ll probably buy new shoes anyways because I get paranoid that shoes have lingering injuries…whatever that means.
I caught a stress fracture in my third metatarsal at the beginning of the summer before it broke through. I was incredibly lucky.
I bout a belt for pool running only to discover my gym’s pool is 4 feet deep…seriously…
I was stuck doing the seated elliptical for a little bit before moving onto the elliptical, and eventually back to running.
I am so sorry you keep having to deal with all of these injuries!
On the plus side, I was super strong from lifting when I “came back” :/
I’ve never heard of the seated elliptical, I might have to look into it. Thanks for sharing!
I just stumbled upon your blog and your injury!! I’m so sorry!!! I’ve actually had 5 stress fractures over the last 3 years. Two in my pelvis, two in my sacrum, and one in my sesmoid. The best thing you can do for yourself is do not push it!! I pushed it way to early with my first set of pelvic stress fractures and it set me back. I cross trained like a champ though–lots of elliptical, lots of spin classes (which to me are so much harder than running). Keeps up your endurance. I can’t go long distance anymore–my body just can’t handle it–so I’ve taken up other forms of exercise that I love–Crossfit, lifting, cycle, etc. This might be a good time to try some new things! Experiment! I miss my long distance days but just have to be happy with a few runs here and there a week. Take lots of extra calcium, eat lots of good fish (something in it speeds recovery I read somewhere), and just take it one day at a time! I hope a speedy recovery for you!
Wow that is a lot of stress fractures. I’m really sorry to hear that. Thank you for all of your advice Ashley!