Stress fracture treatment
fracture index
The most important thing for Stress fracture treatment is rest. Individuals need to
rest from the activity that caused the stress fracture, and engage in a pain-free activity
during the six to eight weeks it takes most stress fractures to heal.
If the activity that caused the stress fracture is resumed too quickly, larger,
harder-to-heal stress fractures can develop. Reinjury also could lead to chronic problems
where the stress fracture might never heal properly.
Common treatments for stress fractures
Other common treatments for healing of stress fractures include: · ice
packs, applied for several days or until the pain disappears · anti-inflammatory
medications, such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) · avoiding
activity that puts stress on the affected areas. An exercise that is not weight-bearing,
like swimming, can be substituted for jogging. · using special shoes or shoe
inserts after the fracture heals. A person may also want to alter activity to reduce
injury. For example, it can be helpful to jog on a softer surface like grass, instead of
cement.
In rare cases, a splint or cast may be needed temporarily. Surgery may be
needed for fractures that do not heal, or heal the wrong way. |
