Tibia stress fracture
What is it?
A crack (fracture) in the shin bone (tibia).
Symptoms
The main symptom is pain in your shin bone that gradually gets worse over a period of weeks. The injured area will be tender to touch or if you knock it. You may also have pain at night when you are resting.
Causes
Stress fractures are overuse injuries. When you run, your shin bones are put under continual stress as each foot strikes the ground. This can cause areas of weakness to form in the bone leading to stress fractures.
You're more likely to have a stress fracture if you have:
- recently increased your training routine
- poor movement in your lower leg (biomechanics)
- tired muscles
- menstrual problems, such as your periods having stopped
- a poor diet
- reduced bone density (osteoporosis)
Treatment
A sports medicine professional, such as a sports medicine doctor or physiotherapist, can diagnose and treat a shin bone stress fracture. He or she may use an MRI, X-ray or bone scan to look at the extent of the damage.
Treatment usually involves resting the affected leg. You may need to use crutches and a special boot to take the pressure of the damaged area of bone. The majority of stress fractures heal after six weeks of rest.
Taking painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol will help to reduce pain and swelling. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.
Putting ice or ice packs on the injured area until the swelling goes down will also help. Don't apply ice directly to your skin as it can give you an 'ice burn' - place a cloth between the ice and skin.
You may be able to adapt your usual exercise routine to low impact exercise such as swimming or cycling. This will help you to maintain your cardiovascular fitness without interfering with the healing process.
Do
- Rest from all running and high impact exercises.
- Keep up your cardiovascular fitness by swimming or cycling.
Don't
- Continue exercising as you usually do. This will weaken the bone further and may lead to a complete break in the bone.
Peer reviewed by David Toy MCSP, Bupa Sports Medicine physiotherapist
Publication date: June 2009
