With the AFL season under way it brings back some memories of last years AFL Foot Injuries! Many of those were metatarsal stress fractures! What is that you ask, have a read of our informative blog below by Podiatrist Dion Vallianos to help answer some of the questions you may have regarding Metatarsal Stress Fractures and how your Podiatrist can help!
Experiencing pain at night that’s keeping you awake? Is the top of your foot sore from time to time? We may have the answer for you. You may have a metatarsal stress reaction/fracture causing the discomfort in your foot. Before you panic, we’ll provide you with some information about this condition and how we can help get you back to what you love doing pain-free!
What is a metatarsal stress reaction/fracture?
The metatarsals are the long bones located in the front part of your foot. A stress reaction/fracture may occur in these bones when there is increased stress on the affected area. Therefore, pain that gradually worsens over time or increases with weight-bearing activity (ie: jumping or running) may be due to a metatarsal stress reaction/fracture.
What are the symptoms?
Your symptoms may be the following:
– Pain on the top of your forefoot
– Swelling over the affected area
– Pain that develops gradually over weeks/months
– Pain decreases once the activity that has caused the pain is reduced
– Wearing flat shoes or being bare-footed when walking may aggravate pain
What causes a metatarsal stress reaction/fracture?
– Recently started running or jumping activity
– Quick change or increase in speed/distance/shoe type/terrain when running
– Foot posture
– Foot deformity (ie: Bunions)
– High-heeled shoes
– Muscle tightness
– Muscle weakness
– More common in females
How can we help?
There are a variety of treatment options that we can offer to help you. These include:
– Activity modification (doing more of things that don’t flare up your pain and
less of the things that do)
– CAM walker to reduce load and allow the bone to heal properly
– Ice and/or anti-inflammatory medication to settle down the pain
– Footwear assessment and advice
– Reducing muscle tightness and improving muscle strength
– Orthotics to reduce load on the midfoot area and improve foot function
– Recommend a surgical opinion if deemed necessary
Sound familiar? Don’t let the pain get worse and stop you from doing what you love! For individual advice regarding your feet, feel free to contact us on 9434 4422 or book an appointment online
