So I'm pretty bummed. I developed a sharp pain in my lower leg after last weekend's run. Xrays that night were negative but xrays today showed a stress fracture in my distal left tibia. I have a lot of swelling and I'm in a walking boot right now and I'm supposed to see a orthopedic doctor next week. Everything I've read says 4-6 weeks of recovery. Do you have any advice about rehab? I'm not sure at this point if I'll be able to run in the half marathon but I'm hoping to come back and continue training for the Portland Marathon. Is this feasible? I'm pretty disappointed at this point and I don't want all the good motivation I've had so far to fissile out. Thanks

Hurricane
Sorry to hear about your leg. Look at it this way....better to have had it now, than a couple months later...just before the full marathon.

As far as rehab goes, rest from running is mandatory. Removing your foot from the walking boot and stretching the foot/ankle/calf as well as entire lower body daily...is also (by my opinion) mandatory. The foot should be re-X-rayed in about 4 weeks to see how the callous has formed and if it is ready for introducing running back into the program. In the mean time, the reasoning behind WHY you got a stress fx in the first place needs to be corrected/addressed. I would ask for PT (with a sports medicine emphasis) and explain your desire to complete the program. The PT should monitor you and introduce modified cardiovascular training (elliptical and/or cycling) when you have healed sufficiently. This should occur before the 4th week of being in a walking boot....however, again, a professional should monitor and prescribe it to you at the appropriate time.

If you let yourself heal, find out and work on why this happened, and exercise is prescribed appropriately, you will have plenty of time to get ready for the marathon.

Keep us in the loop and let us know what happens.

Dr. Greg