Essay On Stress Fracture
Stress Fracture
Stress fracture is a small break or crack in a bone. A stress fracture can be fully broken (complete) or partially broken (incomplete). The most common sites for stress fractures are the bones in the front of your feet (metatarsals) and the long bone of your lower leg (tibia). a),
CAUSES
A stress fracture is caused by overuse or repetitive exercise, such as running. They happen most commonly when you:
• Increase or start a new activity.
• Use shoes that do not fit you properly or are worn out.
• Exercising on a new surface.
RISK FACTORS
Risk factors for stress fracture include:
• Having osteoporosis. This makes your bones weaker.
• Gender. Stress fractures are more likely to occur in women.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The most common …show more content…
symptom of a stress fracture is pain that is felt when you are using the affected area. It usually goes away when you are resting. Other symptoms may include:
• Bruising.
• Swelling of the affected area.
• Pain in the area when it is touched.
Stress fracture pain usually develops over time.
DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis may include:
• Medical history and physical exam.
• X-rays.
• Bone scan.
• MRI.
TREATMENT
Treatment depends on the severity of your stress fracture. Treatment usually involves resting, icing, compression, and elevation (RICE) of the affected area. Treatment may also include:
• Medicines to reduce inflammation.
• A cast or walking shoe.
• Crutches.
• Surgery.
HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
• Take medicines only as directed by your health care provider.
• Rest as directed by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider if you may do alternative exercises, such as swimming or biking, while you are healing.
• Apply ice to the injured area:
• Put ice in a plastic bag.
• Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
• Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.
• Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.
• Use crutches, if directed by your health care provider.
• Wear your cast or walking shoe, if directed by your health care provider.
PREVENTION
• Only wear shoes that:
• Are not worn out.
• Fit well.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that contains D and calcium. This helps keeps your bones strong.
• Be careful when starting a new activity. Allow your body time to
adjust.
• Avoid doing only one kind of activity. Do different exercises, such as swimming and running, so that no one part of your body gets overused.
• Do strength-training exercises. This helps build bone strength. Ask your health care provider for ideas or instructions on strength-training exercise to try.
• HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS
• Treatment may include a cast or walking shoe.
• High impact activities should be stopped until advised by your caregiver.
• Wear shoes with adequate shock absorbing abilities and good support of the sole of the foot. This is especially important in the arch of the foot.
• Alternative exercise may be undertaken while waiting for healing. This may include bicycling and swimming.
If you do not have a cast or splint:
• You may walk on your injured foot as tolerated or advised.
• Do not put any weight on your injured foot until instructed. Slowly increase the amount of time you walk on the foot as the pain allows or as advised.
• Use crutches until you can bear weight without pain. A gradual increase in weight bearing may help.
• Apply ice to the injured area for the first 2 days after you have been treated or as directed by your caregiver.
○ Put ice in a plastic bag.
○ Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
○ Leave the ice on for 15–20 minutes at a time, every hour while you are awake.
• Only take over-the-counter or prescription medicines for pain or discomfort as directed by your caregiver.
• If your caregiver has given you a follow-up appointment, it is very important to keep that appointment. Not keeping the appointment could result in a chronic or permanent injury, pain, and disability.
Seek medical care if:
Your pain gets worse.
You have new symptoms.
You have increased swelling.
You have increased bruising.
Seek immediate medical care if:
You lose feeling in the affected area.
Stress fracture is a small break or crack in a bone. A stress fracture can be fully broken (complete) or partially broken (incomplete). The most common sites for stress fractures are the bones in the front of your feet (metatarsals) and the long bone of your lower leg (tibia). a),
CAUSES
A stress fracture is caused by overuse or repetitive exercise, such as running. They happen most commonly when you:
• Increase or start a new activity.
• Use shoes that do not fit you properly or are worn out.
• Exercising on a new surface.
RISK FACTORS
Risk factors for stress fracture include:
• Having osteoporosis. This makes your bones weaker.
• Gender. Stress fractures are more likely to occur in women.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The most common …show more content…
symptom of a stress fracture is pain that is felt when you are using the affected area. It usually goes away when you are resting. Other symptoms may include:
• Bruising.
• Swelling of the affected area.
• Pain in the area when it is touched.
Stress fracture pain usually develops over time.
DIAGNOSIS
Diagnosis may include:
• Medical history and physical exam.
• X-rays.
• Bone scan.
• MRI.
TREATMENT
Treatment depends on the severity of your stress fracture. Treatment usually involves resting, icing, compression, and elevation (RICE) of the affected area. Treatment may also include:
• Medicines to reduce inflammation.
• A cast or walking shoe.
• Crutches.
• Surgery.
HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
• Take medicines only as directed by your health care provider.
• Rest as directed by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider if you may do alternative exercises, such as swimming or biking, while you are healing.
• Apply ice to the injured area:
• Put ice in a plastic bag.
• Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
• Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.
• Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.
• Use crutches, if directed by your health care provider.
• Wear your cast or walking shoe, if directed by your health care provider.
PREVENTION
• Only wear shoes that:
• Are not worn out.
• Fit well.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that contains D and calcium. This helps keeps your bones strong.
• Be careful when starting a new activity. Allow your body time to
adjust.
• Avoid doing only one kind of activity. Do different exercises, such as swimming and running, so that no one part of your body gets overused.
• Do strength-training exercises. This helps build bone strength. Ask your health care provider for ideas or instructions on strength-training exercise to try.
• HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS
• Treatment may include a cast or walking shoe.
• High impact activities should be stopped until advised by your caregiver.
• Wear shoes with adequate shock absorbing abilities and good support of the sole of the foot. This is especially important in the arch of the foot.
• Alternative exercise may be undertaken while waiting for healing. This may include bicycling and swimming.
If you do not have a cast or splint:
• You may walk on your injured foot as tolerated or advised.
• Do not put any weight on your injured foot until instructed. Slowly increase the amount of time you walk on the foot as the pain allows or as advised.
• Use crutches until you can bear weight without pain. A gradual increase in weight bearing may help.
• Apply ice to the injured area for the first 2 days after you have been treated or as directed by your caregiver.
○ Put ice in a plastic bag.
○ Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
○ Leave the ice on for 15–20 minutes at a time, every hour while you are awake.
• Only take over-the-counter or prescription medicines for pain or discomfort as directed by your caregiver.
• If your caregiver has given you a follow-up appointment, it is very important to keep that appointment. Not keeping the appointment could result in a chronic or permanent injury, pain, and disability.
Seek medical care if:
Your pain gets worse.
You have new symptoms.
You have increased swelling.
You have increased bruising.
Seek immediate medical care if:
You lose feeling in the affected area.