A stress fracture occurs when a repetitive stress on a bone exceeds the capacity of the bone and miniature breaks of the bone begin to occur. The minor breaks can heal when the stress is taken off of the bone that is damaged, but when we continue to put the pressure through the bone the initial minor fracture cannot heal. Combine that with the fact that the continued pressure will create more minor fractures and the condition worsens. 

A stress fracture in the lower extremity will usually occur at one of three place; the top of the tibia (the lower leg), the talus bone (top bone of the ankle as the lower leg connects to the ankle), and the first metatarsal (the base of the big toe). Injuries to these are classically seen in runners and the most common area for a runner to experience a stress fracture is at the Talus bone. 

Signs and Symptoms:

Someone suffering from a stress fracture of the lower leg will usually report pain in the foot, ankle or lower leg during and after the strenuous activity that causes the pain (running in most cases). The pain is usually not associated with excessive swelling, but will produce a noticeable limp during and after running.

Treatment:

The most effective treatment for a stress fracture 6-8 weeks post-surgery or casting, is not only the gradual resumption of activities but chiropractic rehabilitation. There are various physiological therapeutics and treatment modalities that have been found to be most effective in reducing the amount of time it takes to heal. Low-level laser photo biostimulation (LLLT), ultrasound and electro-muscle stimulation combined with conservative chiropractic care management has been shown to be effective in treating the pain associated with a stress fracture of the lower extremity and boost the injured tissue healing response. The more important aspect of the treatment is in finding out why the injury occurred in the first place and removing that problem so the injury does not resurface again in the future.

If you or someone you know is needlessly suffering from ankle pain due to a stress fracture, call Advanced Healthcare Inc. and have Dr. Pisarek design a customized treatment protocol that will have you on the road to living and playing pain free today!