The feet are probably one of the most overused parts of the body.
The feet carry the whole weight of the body, and have to work hard, often in footwear which is ill designed for the task at hand.
Unfortunately, most people fail to appreciate the importance of healthy feet, and only start taking notice of them when an injury is suffered, and every step becomes highly painful.
Foot stress fractures are a common foot problem, especially with the highly active, sports lovers and even those who rarely take exercise.
Stress fractures are painful, incapacitating, and can take a long time to heal, usually at least 6 weeks.
They can cause significant top of foot pain, and are one of the most common causes of this type of discomfort.
Top of foot pain is associated with metatarsal stress fractures.
The metatarsals are the long bones in the feet, with the third fourth and fifth the most likely to suffer from stress fractures, in addition to the heel.
Foot stress fractures happen when too much force acts on the feet, which leads to small cracks forming in the bones.
There are 26 bones that comprise each foot, and all can potentially be affected by these small cracks.
Despite the small size of the fractures - often called hairline fractures due to their small size, even a single crack in one bone is enough to cause tremendous pain.
When one or more of these bones get broken, a person suffers from a foot fracture.
The fractures are often so small, that even an x-ray cannot pick up the problem; at least until healing has started.
What causes a foot stress fracture? Skeletal trauma may often lead to fractures.
Trauma to the foot can be caused by various ways including falls, collisions, twisting, blows and an unfavorable landing, although most commonly the fractures form over time in response to repeated stress.
Other disorders like osteoporosis and vitamin deficiencies may cause the bones to become brittle, which increases the risk of foot fractures forming.
Osteoporosis, eating disorders and irregular or stopped periods are grouped together in what is termed the female athlete triad.
One, two or all three factors may be present, which makes these fractures more likely to occur, with the female athlete triad common with training teenage girls.
What are the clinical manifestations of a foot fracture? Pain is the most common indicator that you are suffering from foot stress fractures, with top of foot pain and heel pain the most likely indications of the problem.
The pain is severe and sharp, often radiating to the nearby areas.
The fractured area can also be bruised and swollen in a matter of hours following a trauma, but when developed over time, there may be no outwardly visual signs of a problem.
In some cases the affected foot may feel numb, and walking becomes a difficult.
How is a foot fracture diagnosed? X-ray is only an option once the fractures have started to heal, which is usually 2 weeks following the formation of the cracks, although a CT scan or MRI is more accurate.
Normally stress fractures will heal naturally with rest, although support may be required to prevent further injury.
These fractures rarely require a cast.
To decrease the pain, cold compression and analgesics usually do the trick.
Alternative healing practices, like acupuncture, are said to be effective as well.
The feet carry the whole weight of the body, and have to work hard, often in footwear which is ill designed for the task at hand.
Unfortunately, most people fail to appreciate the importance of healthy feet, and only start taking notice of them when an injury is suffered, and every step becomes highly painful.
Foot stress fractures are a common foot problem, especially with the highly active, sports lovers and even those who rarely take exercise.
Stress fractures are painful, incapacitating, and can take a long time to heal, usually at least 6 weeks.
They can cause significant top of foot pain, and are one of the most common causes of this type of discomfort.
Top of foot pain is associated with metatarsal stress fractures.
The metatarsals are the long bones in the feet, with the third fourth and fifth the most likely to suffer from stress fractures, in addition to the heel.
Foot stress fractures happen when too much force acts on the feet, which leads to small cracks forming in the bones.
There are 26 bones that comprise each foot, and all can potentially be affected by these small cracks.
Despite the small size of the fractures - often called hairline fractures due to their small size, even a single crack in one bone is enough to cause tremendous pain.
When one or more of these bones get broken, a person suffers from a foot fracture.
The fractures are often so small, that even an x-ray cannot pick up the problem; at least until healing has started.
What causes a foot stress fracture? Skeletal trauma may often lead to fractures.
Trauma to the foot can be caused by various ways including falls, collisions, twisting, blows and an unfavorable landing, although most commonly the fractures form over time in response to repeated stress.
Other disorders like osteoporosis and vitamin deficiencies may cause the bones to become brittle, which increases the risk of foot fractures forming.
Osteoporosis, eating disorders and irregular or stopped periods are grouped together in what is termed the female athlete triad.
One, two or all three factors may be present, which makes these fractures more likely to occur, with the female athlete triad common with training teenage girls.
What are the clinical manifestations of a foot fracture? Pain is the most common indicator that you are suffering from foot stress fractures, with top of foot pain and heel pain the most likely indications of the problem.
The pain is severe and sharp, often radiating to the nearby areas.
The fractured area can also be bruised and swollen in a matter of hours following a trauma, but when developed over time, there may be no outwardly visual signs of a problem.
In some cases the affected foot may feel numb, and walking becomes a difficult.
How is a foot fracture diagnosed? X-ray is only an option once the fractures have started to heal, which is usually 2 weeks following the formation of the cracks, although a CT scan or MRI is more accurate.
Normally stress fractures will heal naturally with rest, although support may be required to prevent further injury.
These fractures rarely require a cast.
To decrease the pain, cold compression and analgesics usually do the trick.
Alternative healing practices, like acupuncture, are said to be effective as well.
SHARE
