Fast Running Blog

About a week ago I had some pain in my lower right leg. It was the third time I've felt that pain since I started running, and the first two times the pain went away with a couple of days of rest, cross training or light running. This time, however, I started to worry that I might have a stress fracture, primarily because I had just read an article about Lance Armstrong doing too much running too soon and giving himself a stress fracture at the NY marathon a few years ago. Basically, his cardiovascular fitness allowed him to do more than his bones could handle, and he got hurt.

Armstrong's story hit close to home because I'm also a cyclist who recently switched to running. I started running in mid to late January. I've been running 40-60 miles per week, which feels pretty modest after 5 years of cycling 350-450 miles per week. But the conventional wisdom seems to suggest that I might be running too much.

The pain on my shin is about 5 inches above the ankle, and it comes and goes. I can run on it with out any real problems--I'm not forcing myself to run through pain; in fact, I can only feel the pain occasionally while I'm running. According to several articles, if I have a stress fracture I should be able to feel something when I press on the bone, and I shouldn't be able to hop on the injured leg without pain. I can hop without pain, and I can press the bone without pain, except for a very (very) slight sensation of bruising.

I can't get a bone scan on my current insurance, but I might be able to in a few weeks when I switch to my wife's health plan. For now, I want to know if I'm foolish to continue running, or if I should proceed as long as the pain doesn't become severe. If this is a minor stress fracture, I'll feel very stupid if I don't stop now and have to take some major time off in the future to let it heal. But if there's not a problem, I'll feel just as stupid taking time off and skipping races when I could have been out running.

Does anyone have any advice or relevant experience that could help me decide what to do?

I just got done icing my lower legs before I read this!  I have been running for a couple of years and have been part of this blog for a year (+).  I am training for a marathon in May and recently have had some pain in the area that you described.  My pain is in both legs, outer calves/calf area.  It's painful when I start running, but seems to ease as I get into my run (sometimes it takes awhile - 3 miles or so). 

Anyway, I could write forever, about my issues.  But, what I have found is that it is probably an overuse injury.  I don't think you have a stress fracture, but perhaps shin splints or compartment syndrome. 

I have been making sure to do alot of stretches (before and after) and TLC after my runs (Ice, Elevation, Compression).  I did take some days off.  The combination of these things seems to be making a difference.  I'm not entirely 100%, but feel I am heading in the right direction. 

If you've only been running two months and you're at 60 miles a week, that's quite a leap.  There are experts on here that are way more knowledgeable than I, but I would scale back a bit and let your body adjust to your running.  Again, I don't think you have a stress fracture if the pain "comes and goes" and you can "run on it without real problems".  I think you WILL get a stress fracture if you don't let your body 1) heal, and then 2) adjust to your miles (small increases).

Just my $.02.

Part 2 - There are other posts on here about stress fractures that may help you.  I didn't really answer your question my response above, but perhaps reading through the other posts will get you the information you need.

Good Luck!

Based on what you have said it doesn't sound like a stress fracture but that doesn't mean that it won't turn into one.  If it were a stress fracture you would definitely feel it when you run.  I had them in the same area and the pain was very pronounced.  Sounds like you are doing the right thing by backing off a bit. 

Hey, I am just slowly returning back to running after being out for 6 months with a stress fracture.  As people have noted, it is always best to listen to your body and get the extra rest before what you have becomes a stress fracture.  When I had mine, I knew it was a sfx even though the doc told me it was tendonitis or shin splints.  It hurt to walk  and it had a tremendous effect on my normal gait, as I was trying to put as little weight on it as possible when I ran.  I did the hop test for my doctor and I couldn't do it at all.  The pain was too much that I couldn't get off the ground without falling.  Be smart, rest it take care of it, believe me you will be happy to miss a week rather than several