Accelerated Healing of Stress Fracture
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in the bones. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack. It is most common in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot. Track and field athletes are particularly susceptible to stress fractures, but anyone can experience a stress fracture.

Symptoms

1) Pain that increases with activity and decreases with rest
2) Pain that occurs earlier in your workout in each successive workout
3) Pain that increases over time
4) Pain that persists even at rest
5) Swelling
6) A specific spot on the involved bone that feels tender or painful to the touch

Causes

Repetitive application of a greater amount of force than the bones of your feet and lower legs normally bear

Western medicine treatments

Treatments vary depending on the location of the stress fracture and on how quickly you need to resume activity. The most important treatment is rest, individuals need to rest from the activities 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. Re-injury also could lead to chronic problems where the stress fracture might never heal properly. Some of the treatments include the use of Anti-inflammatory pain relievers and rehabilitation therapies.

Adopted from Wei Laboratories, Inc.