At age 15, Nancy injured her leg during a gymnastics practice. She was in considerable pain & could not weight bear.

She was taken to the local emergency department. X-ray & blood work were ordered.

Diagnosis: stress fracture of the left tibia.

Nancy has a stress fracture

Mary took Nancy to the local emergency department, as Nancy was in considerable pain and unable to weight-bear on her left leg.

The emergency physician ordered an x-ray of Nancy’s left leg, blood work, and did a physical exam.  The diagnosis was a stress fracture of the left tibia.

Typical Causes of Stress Fractures to the Lower Leg

Many factors can contribute to stress fractures of the shin.  Some can be managed and others can not.

• Repetitive movements in high-intensity activities such as long-distance running, track & field, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, dance
• Improper athletic technique or footwear
• Increasing training or weight-bearing exercises too quickly
• Not getting enough rest between workouts
• Working out on a different type of surface than usual
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Smoking
• Being over- or underweight
• Osteoporosis
• Eating disorders
• Low vitamin D levels
• Calorie intake imbalance

Which of these factors may contribute to Nancy’s case?

Treating Nancy’s stress fracture

Nancy’s physician recommended that Nancy take a break from high-impact activity until fully healed and:

• Elevate her leg
• Take over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medicine
• Use crutches to keep weight off her shin while she heals
• Physical therapy
• Increase activity slowly
• Sports medicine specialist or qualified trainer
• Severe stress fractures may require a cast or surgery to ensure proper healing
• Take 4-12 weeks (sometimes longer) to heal

Additional Tips for Healing

Care

• Rest
• Elevate
• Ice

Exercise

• Cross-training
• Invest in proper footwear
• Work with an experienced trainer

Diet

• Maintain a healthy diet
• Manage weight