What is a calcaneal stress fracture?

Stress fractures can be a fairly frequent overuse injury in sports athletes, primarily when there is a large amount of repeating motions such as running. In sports people nearly every bone could get a stress fracture. A stress fracture is mini breaks that happen in the bone as a result of too much repetitive forces. Bone tissue is definitely a dynamic structure that will conform to force on the bone if it's provided time. If elevated stress coming from exercises such as running are increased very gradually, then your bone will adapt to those raised stress and be much stronger. However, when these stress are generally accelerated too fast and the bone isn't given a chance to get used too, then a stress fracture can happen. This can be more likely to also come about should there be issues with the healthiness of the bone like osteoporosis, insufficient vitamin d along with decreased calcium. Females are usually more susceptible to having a stress fracture. Stress fractures in most cases heal with virtually no issues when provided enough time for you to recover. Nevertheless, stress fractures may be separated into what are thought to be high risk and low risk. A high-risk stress fracture is one that may get problems just like an avascular necrosis. These types of stress fractures need to have additional care.

A common low risk stress fracture may be a calcaneal stress fracture which affects the heel bone. When running the heel bone is what we impact the hard surfaces with and the Achilles tendon also pulls on the bone, so lots of tension gets subjected to the heel bone tissue. Should the quantity of running is raised progressively and little by little, a calcaneal stress fracture is less likely. When a stress fracture can happen in the calcaneus, there is slowly escalating pain in the calcaneus bone. Most take place towards the posterior part of the bone, but some happen in the centre as well as some towards the anterior part of the bone. A characteristic feature is the soreness is positive on the calcaneal squeeze test. For this test, you will compress the calcaneus bone from the sides and this elicits pain, often being quite tender.

With a calcaneal stress fracture, rest in the first week or so is really essential. The runner is required to cease running and replace another physical activity to keep up fitness for at least a week or so in order for recovery to get going. Dietary problems and bone health problems will need to be assessed and dealt with as needed. With the most severe cases, a moon boot or walking splint may be needed to assist. Once the discomfort settles, it is then time to very slowly but surely raise the activity amounts. If this is not accomplished very carefully, it is common for that stress fracture to happen once more or get aggravated. The symptoms can be meticulously observed by using this calcaneal squeeze test. Should you have a stress fracture in the calcaneus, plan on this return to full exercise taking a few or maybe more months in addition to that original rest time period of a few weeks or so. If you undertake it quicker, then the fracture might happen again.