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Foot stress fractures treatment in Cairns is available at FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics. Stress fractures are a common injury that affect the foot and lower limb, with some areas being more susceptible than others. A stress fracture occurs secondary to repetitive micro-trauma to bone; the ongoing stress, leads to a breakdown of the outer layer of bone and eventually results in a micro-fracture. More information on this below. If you’re in pain, we can help. We provide Cairns foot stress fractures treatment at our clinics at Earlville, Redlynch and Mareeba. Call us today to book an appointment.
Most commonly, we see Cairns foot stress fractures in runners or sports that involve high impact, particularly after a sudden increase in intensity or duration. Some common symptoms of foot stress fractures are as follows.
Common areas we see foot stress fractures occur are through the front of the foot or metatarsal region. This is due to the significant pressure that goes through the fore-foot, when running. It is most common through the 2nd and 3rd metatarsals, specifically for this reason. The 2nd and 3rd metatarsals are quite long and thin bones and therefore don’t handle the stress as well as other areas.
Another common area for Cairns foot stress fractures to occur is the mid-foot. These are considered a more severe type of stress fracture, due to their delayed healing process. An example of this would be a stress fracture of the navicular, otherwise known as the arch bone. Being at the apex of the arch of the foot, the navicular takes a significant amount of pressure while running. Whilst not being as common as fore-foot stress fractures, stress fractures of the navicular can be a long-term injury, with some cases being severe enough to stop the individual from running for up to a year.
Cairns foot stress fractures can be caused by many risk factors and is most commonly seen in active runners (women > men). The most common risk factors we see include:
Foot stress fractures are initially diagnosed with a clinical examination and confirmed via diagnostic imaging. Cairns foot stress fractures often present themselves in X-rays, however, it is important to note that they don’t show up until approximately two weeks after they have developed. MRI, CT or bone scans are often used secondary imaging modalities for stress fractures, particularly those that occur in high risk areas of the foot e.g. navicular bone.
At FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics, our Cairns foot stress fractures treatment is largely based around addressing your individual risk factors, activity modification and rest. Given this, your initial consultation will involve a thorough foot and lower limb biomechanical assessment, including Cairns VALD Strength Testing, to determine what the contributing factors are for your case. As with most foot problems, early foot stress fractures treatment Cairns, is the best form of treatment. This will help reduce your chances of it turning into a full thickness fracture. Common foot stress fractures treatment Cairns options include:
As with most foot and lower limb injuries, recovery time for foot stress fractures largely depends on the severity and location of the fracture. As a rule, stress fractures of the ball of the foot generally settle within 4-6 weeks, and the patient can begin their slow reintroduction back into physical activity. Higher risk foot stress fractures, such as the navicular or base of the metatarsals, can take significantly longer and vary from 3 – 12 months. A more accurate prognosis will be able to be determined once the above factors are known.
If you think you could be suffering from a stress fracture in the foot, contact FNQ Podiatry & Orthotics today. Our dedicated team of Podiatrists will form a plan for effective foot stress fractures treatment Cairns, to get you on the road to recovery and back doing what you love asap.
