| A stress fracture is a common, but serious | | | | and your doctor says it's ok, you can swim |
| repetitive use injury. Unlike a normal fracture, | | | | without placing too much strain on the injury. |
| which is usually caused by an acute event such as | | | | During the first week you'll want to use ice packs |
| falling off a ladder, this type of fracture is the | | | | as much as possible. This will help keep the |
| result of a less severe force acting on the bone | | | | swelling to a minimum and help relieve pain. You'll |
| over and over again. | | | | likely visit your orthopedic specialist several times |
| This type of injury is most commonly seen in | | | | during the healing process, and during those visits |
| athletes, soldiers, backpackers, and dancers | | | | they can advise you of the level of activity that |
| where they are repeatedly impacting the hard | | | | you can safely perform with the injury. This will |
| ground or floor with the full force of their body | | | | vary based on your individual situation, but it's |
| weight again and again. There are ways to | | | | important not to rush yourself back into an |
| decrease the impact on the bones, but when a | | | | activity. You could do more harm than good. |
| stress fracture appears it can be treated in | | | | At all stages in the healing process, you can |
| various ways. Things like physical therapy and | | | | perform massage on the area with essential oils |
| massage with essential oils, can aide in healing of | | | | like Myrrh, Olibanum, Cistus as long as the area |
| stress fractures. | | | | does not have any open wounds. If you are in a |
| Without early treatment a stress fracture may | | | | traditional plaster or fiberglass cast, you can apply |
| worsen into a deeper, more serious fracture, so it | | | | the oils above and below the cast. |
| is important to diagnose the stress fracture as | | | | You can prevent stress fractures in the future a |
| early as possible and get quick treatment. | | | | number of ways. First, be sure that the shoes |
| Diagnosing a stress fracture can be somewhat | | | | you are wearing are appropriate for the activity |
| tricky. They do not typically show up on x-rays. | | | | you are performing as well as for your feet. |
| The only diagnostic tests that will diagnose a | | | | There are many shoe manufacturers who |
| stress fracture are a CT scan, and MRI, or a | | | | produce specialized athletic shoes that are not |
| 3-phase bone scan. Stress fractures, like their | | | | only specific to certain activities like running or |
| traumatic cousins, can take as few as 4 and as | | | | hiking but also to different types of feet. If these |
| many as 16 weeks to heal. | | | | aren't in your budget, you can also find specialized |
| During the early stages, you should avoid bearing | | | | orthotic inserts for your shoes at most drug |
| any weight on the injured limb. Doctors will usually | | | | stores. In addition, be sure that you are using |
| give you some type of cast, even one that can | | | | proper form during your activities. While it may |
| be removed such as an air cast, and crutches so | | | | take more effort, and feel a little strange, in the |
| that you can keep still get around. During this time | | | | long run it will lessen the strain on your bones and |
| you should avoid physical activity that could make | | | | help prevent stress fracture. |
| the fracture worse. If your cast is removable, | | | | |