Stress Fracture Treatment in Los Angeles
Stress fractures are common in the foot and ankle. Dr. Alexis Dixon, MD, FAAOS, a board-certified orthopaedic foot & ankle surgeon in Marina Del Rey, diagnoses and treats stress fractures of the foot and ankle.
Foot & Ankle Conditions
What Is a Stress Fracture?
A stress fracture is a chronic injury where there is an imbalance between the loads sustained by the bone and the ability of the body to heal the injury. Stress fractures are common in the foot and ankle.
There are two main causes of stress fractures: overuse injury or metabolic bone issues.
Get an Accurate Diagnosis
Diagnosis
The first step in diagnosis is appropriate imaging, meaning weight-bearing x-rays of the foot and ankle, along with a thorough physical examination. There is generally warmth and swelling over the area of the fracture. If there is suspicion of a stress fracture, an MRI will be ordered.
Symptoms
There is generally warmth and swelling over the area of the fracture. Dr. Dixon evaluates the symptoms in the office with a thorough physical examination and weight-bearing (standing) x-rays.
What Causes It?
There are two main causes of stress fractures:
- Overuse injury: In the foot and ankle, these are usually related to running or sprinting and a rapid increase in distance. Even a sudden increase in walking can cause a stress fracture, such as a vacation to Europe or Disneyland, which may significantly increase daily mileage.
- Metabolic bone issues: Disorders such as osteopenia or osteoporosis, Vitamin D deficiency, use of oral steroids, and other systemic bone issues may lead to unusual weakness in the bone that makes it susceptible to fracture even under normal stress.
Conservative First, Surgical When Needed
Treatment Options
Each different bone has a different approach to treatment. Some are amenable to non-operative treatment and others are not.
Nonsurgical
Rest and Immobilization
A CAM boot, used to fully immobilize the foot and ankle, will be necessary in the event of a stress fracture. Fractures take 6 to 12 weeks to heal.
Vitamin D Supplementation
Vitamin D levels will be tested and supplemented as necessary. Usually, 2000 to 5000iu of Vitamin D3 is recommended.
Anti-Inflammatories
NSAIDs should be taken around the clock for two to three weeks for anti-inflammatory dosing. Speak to your physician if you have concerns about whether anti-inflammatories are safe for you.
Ice
Only use ice if you have no numbness in your feet. If you have neuropathy, ice application may not be safe. Always protect the skin with a tea towel. Ice for up to twenty minutes at a time, and wait an hour if you are going to repeat the ice application.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is not expected to heal a stress fracture. It works to gain and maintain strength in a safe and effective way, improve balance, and stretch the muscles that tighten over time because of the injury, during and after the fracture has healed. A physical therapist can also help reintroduce the athlete to impact activities in a safe manner.
Surgery
Surgery is relatively uncommon. If surgery is required for your stress fracture to heal, Dr. Dixon discusses it in detail if you are a candidate.
Why See a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon (MD)?
There are two main causes of stress fractures: overuse injury or metabolic bone issues. Each different bone has a different approach to treatment.
Dr. Dixon is a board-certified orthopaedic foot & ankle surgeon, not a podiatrist. Foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons complete medical school, five years of residency training in orthopaedic surgery, and a yearlong advanced fellowship focused on foot and ankle care. They are the only providers with the depth and breadth of experience to treat the full range of foot and ankle conditions. USC-trained and fellowship-trained in foot & ankle surgery, Dr. Dixon is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS).
After Treatment
What Recovery Looks Like
Fractures take 6 to 12 weeks to heal. A CAM boot, used to fully immobilize the foot and ankle, will be necessary in the event of a stress fracture.
Vitamin D levels will be tested and supplemented as necessary. Physical therapy is not expected to heal a stress fracture, but it works to gain and maintain strength in a safe and effective way, improve balance, and stretch the muscles that tighten over time because of the injury. Once the fracture has healed, a physical therapist can also help reintroduce the athlete to impact activities in a safe manner.
6 to 12 weeks
Most stress fractures heal in a CAM boot that fully immobilizes the foot and ankle.
During healing
Vitamin D levels are corrected, and physical therapy maintains strength and balance without stressing the fracture.
Once healed
A physical therapist helps you return to impact activity safely, rebuilding mileage without causing the fracture to return.
What Patients Say
Patient Reviews
Patient Questions
Stress Fracture FAQs
About Your Surgeon
Alexis E. Dixon, MD, FAAOS
Dr. Dixon is a board-certified orthopaedic foot & ankle surgeon practicing in Marina Del Rey, California. USC-trained and named an LA Magazine Top Doctor since 2017, she combines surgical expertise with a conservative-first philosophy, treating the underlying joint and tendon, not just the symptom. She treats ganglion cysts, bunions, Achilles injuries, plantar fasciitis, fractures, and the full range of foot and ankle conditions.
Meet Dr. Dixon →Foot or Ankle Pain That Will Not Settle?
Get an accurate diagnosis and a clear plan from a board-certified orthopaedic foot & ankle surgeon in Marina Del Rey.
Sources
References
The patient handout for this condition draws on the following sources.