In a recent Runner’s World article, Todd McGrath, MD, a primary sports medicine physician at HSS, discussed how runners can recognize early signs of bone stress injuries and prevent them from progressing into more serious stress fractures.

Bone stress injuries commonly occur in the tibia, or shinbone, but can also affect bones in the feet, thighs and hips. A stress reaction occurs when a bone weakens and becomes inflamed but has not yet developed a crack. Without appropriate rest and treatment, however, the injury can progress to a stress fracture.

Dr. McGrath explained that one common warning sign is pain that develops or worsens during running but improves with rest. As the injury progresses, runners may begin experiencing pain while walking or persistent discomfort localized to one area. Increasing running mileage or intensity too quickly can also raise the risk of developing a bone stress injury. “If you keep running on a stress fracture, the fracture won’t heal and it can potentially widen and you could even have displacement of the fracture and then need surgery to fix it,” said Dr. McGrath.

For runners who suspect a stress reaction, Dr. McGrath recommends avoiding activities that worsen the pain until they can be evaluated by a medical professional. Recognizing symptoms and reducing activity early can help prevent a relatively minor bone stress injury from becoming a fracture that requires a much longer break from running.

Read the full article at runnersworld.com. A subscription is required to access.