Rider Injury - Anyone had a Stress Fracture?

[dressage_diva]

Would really appreciate some advice from anyone who's ever had a stress fracture in their foot? How painful was it and what did you do? Not strictly CR I know, but I figure some of you must have had such an injury before?

Bit of background: Over 3weeks ago I went over on my ankle whilst running on an undulated field. Couldn't weight bear, kept passing out when trying to stand up so my friends took me to A&E, had x-rays, all clear and was told it was bad ligament damage and to see a physio. Saw a physio who gave me some crutches and various exercises as I still couldn't weight bear at all and my ankle was very swollen. In the first 2 weeks the ankle pain started to subside, but I started getting pain in some of my toes and underneath my foot. I moved house last weekend and so saw a different physio earlier this week who said as the swelling had gone down I could start walking without crutches as he thought the ligaments were healing. However, when he felt the top of my foot nearer the inside I was very tender and he said he was concerned that I may have a stress fracture as you don't usually pull ligaments in that area of the foot when you go over on your ankle. He said to keep an eye on it and if the pain hadn't improved by the time of my next visit (Tues 28th) I might need to get it looked at.

So at the moment, I'm walking without the crutches (which is fine with my ankle) but my foot itself is still quite painful. It's fine when I'm sitting down working all day (apart from odd niggles), but when I've done quite a bit of walking/standing it hurts and by the end of the evening the pain is quite sharp. Just wondering if any of this sounds like the symptoms of a stress fracture?

 

[Seahorse]

I had a stress fracture just from getting my horse in from the field! It sounds very much like yours is that too.
I went to the hospital and had my foot x rayed but nothing showed up, then after about a week of agony I went back to my doctor who said that rarely do stress fractures show up on x rays but it should be treated as one and sent me back to A&E where they gave me a supportive boot to wear for 3 weeks.
I'm fine now but I agree it's very painful.

 

[dressage_diva]

I had a stress fracture just from getting my horse in from the field! It sounds very much like yours is that too.
I went to the hospital and had my foot x rayed but nothing showed up, then after about a week of agony I went back to my doctor who said that rarely do stress fractures show up on x rays but it should be treated as one and sent me back to A&E where they gave me a supportive boot to wear for 3 weeks.
I'm fine now but I agree it's very painful.

Thanks, I'm worried it's a stress fracture, but think I'm going to wait until I see the physio again next week as am supposed to be starting back at work on Monday (I've been working form home for the last 3.5weeks and told my boss I'd be back in next week) and I'm also frustrated about not going to see my horse as I haven't been allowed to drive. Am going to try and drive for the first time this evening as physio told me that my ligaments should be ok to drive with now. So am reluctant to go to A&E this weekend and be told there is a fracture! Unfortunately haven't just moved to the area last weekend I haven't even registered with the new GP yet.

When you injured your foot did they put you on crutches? Was the pain mostly in your foot or did you have pain in your toes as well? My foot seems to hurt on the underside as well It's frustrating because one minute it feels ok and I'll be walking on it and then all of a sudden it's agony

 

[Seahorse]

I had some crutches anyway and was using them as couldn't put any weight on my foot, but when I went to the hospital and they gave me a support boot to wear I could walk normally in it and even managed to go back to work. They gave me it as opposed to putting a plaster on my foot and then at least I could take it off for a shower etc.

Mine hurt on the underside and the top and there was a painful bony bit sticking up on the top and it was really swollen and I literally couldn't put any weight on it at all.
I had just had a bunion removed on that foot with a screw put in, and I did it the first time I walked properly and got my horse in from the field!

See what the physio says when you next go

 

[au_soleil]

I had a stress fracture - but mine was from dismounting...!

repeated jumping off to land onto the balls of my feet = stress fracture!!

It is annoying though, I cant run very far on a treadmill before it starts to hurt, and Im all for the run through the pain but to be honest its probably not a good thing for a stress fracture!!

My ankles have always been unstable though, as I usually have to sprint and then suddenly stop - my body does, but my ankles keep on going

Speak to your physio about it, as stress fractures can be hard to see on an x-ray - 4 A&E docs and an orthapedic consultant checked mine

But they do heal with rest, its just that horse-riders don't generally do the reccomened rest time