Sports Medicine Project Stress Fractures in Runners | What They Are and Why They Matter #126
Oct 6, 2025
Stress fractures are a major concern for runners, affecting up to 20%. The discussion delves into how stress fractures develop and the importance of taking time off for proper healing. Recovery varies by injury location and severity. Insights on biomechanics highlight the role of terrain and foot posture in injury risk, while under-fueling and genetics play crucial roles in bone health. Strategies for recovery and prevention emphasize gradual loading and the mental aspects of returning to the sport.
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Bone Is Constantly Remodeling
- Bone constantly cycles between damage and rebuilding with normal activity causing microdamage.
- Stress fractures occur when damage outpaces the bone's remodeling capacity.
Rapid Damage, Slow Recovery
- Damage can accumulate rapidly with high volume or intensity even if a single session seems fine.
- Remodeling may take months (120–200 days) depending on bone type, so rapid repeat loading risks injury.
Location Depends On Load Patterns
- Biomechanics, terrain, and foot posture shift which bones take load and fail.
- Different activities preferentially load different bones (e.g., uphill -> tibia, track -> fibula).