I have a stress reaction in my leg. The femur. For those not familiar with stress-related bone injuries, a stress reaction is the precursor to a fracture. Meaning–the bone is almost broken. But not yet. Wikipedia tells me the femur is not only the longest bone in the body (And I’m 5’9″. So we’re talking long.), but also one of the strongest. From what I understand, it’s an uncommon stress injury but one that’s mostly found in runners. So uncommon but kinda common. Mindblowing, really.
To say I’m upset is an understatement. I’m panicking. I’m disappointed. I’m dumbfounded as to how this happened. I’m pretty much freaking out. I’ve been told to do nothing for 4 weeks. No biking. No swimming. No yoga. No planking. Nothing. I can walk to get from point A to point B. I am not allowed to walk for exercise. I’m also getting a second opinion because I think this is an EXTREMELY conservative approach, and if I’m not allowed to do any sort of physical activity for the next 4 weeks, you might as well lock me in a padded room and watch me self-destruct.
I felt a tiny TINY niggle in my quad the week before Boston, so my second week of taper. Tiny. I’m talking, like, I felt it two steps into my run and it was gone. And then I didn’t feel it after my run at all. Had I known it was something in my bone, I would’ve canned Boston entirely. I was a little nervous about the pain, especially since it almost felt like my leg was giving out when I’d first step on it, but I chalked it up to a phantom taper pain. I’m experienced and cautious enough (like uber cautious. ESPECIALLY after last year’s 6-month injury cycle) that I really didn’t think I had anything to worry about.
The morning of Boston, my quad felt like it had been feeling all along–I had a few steps of light pain when I started the marathon, but it subsided quickly. I didn’t have any concerns. This Boston was, however, my most painful marathon to date. I started to have a lot of hip pain (which I assumed was from my torn labrum) around mile 22/23, and now I realize I was just likely doing major damage to my bone. I was fighting tooth and nail for my time in this race, and I think my leg just couldn’t take it, especially with the pounding downhills of the Boston course.
After the race, both of my quads were EXTREMELY sore, but I remember being super sore last year, so again, I wasn’t concerned. And just like last year, 98% of my soreness subsided within a couple of days…all except that distinct quad pain in my left leg. “That’s so weird,” I thought to myself. It was painful to walk and to go up/down stairs. I figured I had probably pulled my quad in the marathon. All those downhills, right??
All my friends told me to chill. “You just need to recover,” they said. “It hasn’t even been a week since Boston.” But I had this gut feeling that something was wrong. I couldn’t pinpoint the pain in my leg, nor could I feel it if I stretched my quad. The only stretch I would KIND OF feel it with was if I did the piriformis stretch where you cross one leg over the other, like the number 4. And when I did this stretch, instead of feeling it in my piriformis, I felt pain radiating down the front of my leg.
I also got a massage that did jack diddly. The massage therapist told me that my quad and adductor on the one side was super duper tight. Groundbreaking.
It wasn’t until the Saturday after Boston that I really started getting nervous. I had gone to the track with my friend Stephanie to do some strides, lunges, core, and we just wanted to enjoy the beautiful day. When I told Steph about my quad pain, the first thing she said was, “well, be careful. You don’t want to have a femoral stress fracture.” Stephanie is an MD and resident at Yale. She also ran track in college. So she knows a thing or two about running and the human body. She suggested I just be careful, and to maybe get it checked out.
Wait, WHAT???? I didn’t even know that was a thing. A stress fracture in your femur. I mean, obviously it’s a bone and so, duh, it could be fractured. But I really hadn’t considered it, especially since I had been so cautious about taking care of myself this training cycle. I spent the weekend freaking out and contacted my ART, who knows me pretty well at this point, as we’ve worked together the entire time leading up to Boston. He, too, told me I just need more recovery time, and to contact him again if I was still experiencing pain 10 days post-Boston.
So I waited. The pain level hadn’t changed, which concerned me. I didn’t try much running, but the running I did was excruciating. That Saturday I was with Stephanie, I managed a few strides, a lap around the track, and a mile around my block, but that was it. There was a lot of limping involved. The next day, I cheered with my friends during the NJ Marathon, and it actually didn’t really bother me, so I thought I was in the clear. It wasn’t until I went on a slow 4-mile run a week later and it ached the entire time that I started getting really worried. At this point, it had been exactly a week and a half since Boston. I decided to shut it down, just to be super cautious.
Since over 10-days had elapsed since Boston, I also made that appointment to see my ART, who diagnosed a grade 2 quad strain. “Be patient, but you’ll be fine after another session of ART.” But I was still worried. The pain level just wasn’t changing or improving from day to day and it constantly hurt to walk and move around. So I called my doctor to make an appointment.
When I went back in to see my ART a week after my first appointment, I could tell by the look on his face that he was shocked that I still had quad pain. But he kept insisting that he didn’t think it was a bone injury, simply because they’re so freaking rare. “But, Mary, I think you should probablyyyy keep that doctor’s appointment. You know, just in case.”
So then I saw my doctor last Friday. And she didn’t think it was a bone injury either. But she ordered an MRI anyway. She didn’t even mandate an X-ray first. I enjoyed my weekend with the small sliver of hope that it was “probably just a quad strain,” –even though dancing at a family member’s wedding hurt, as did walking around. Still.
The MRI was Tuesday (yesterday) and my doctor called to talk to me personally about the results. “The bone has not cracked yet,” she said, “but there is swelling along your bone and in your bone marrow.” Then she pretty much told me not to move for 4 weeks. She wants me to have some blood testing, because two stress reactions in one year isn’t normal. It’s also a possibility that the tear in my labrum is finally just not able to support my body and rigorous training anymore, so other parts of “the leg chain” keep breaking. I’m hoping I will find some answers.
I’m thankful for a lot of things in this situation. I’m thankful that this is happening coming off of a peak race, where I’d need to be recovering anyway. At least this isn’t happening in August, you know? I’m thankful that I’ve already put the running on hold as soon as I felt that something was wrong, so I’m already into the healing phase. (To be honest, I’m actually shocked that the swelling even showed up so prominently on the MRI, since I haven’t even really run much at all since Boston. I guess that’s how bone injuries work.) I’m thankful for my friend Stephanie who even suggested that a femoral stress injury could be a possibility. Without her suggestion, I don’t think I would’ve made an appointment with my doctor as quick as I did. I’m thankful for friends and teammates who have listened to me bitch about this issue.
But I’m not thankful that this is happening. I just have so many questions and lack so much understanding about how this came to be. It all just seems so unfair that I could come back from one injury cycle and jump right back into another one. My training was smart. I ate right. I get my period (Sorry not sorry to mention this. Amenorrhea is a huge problem in athletic women and girls and it is very much a taboo topic, which I disagree with.) I slept 9-10 hours a night during training. I strength trained (though, I did let it slip when mileage got high). I didn’t think that my mileage jumps were too high (or were they?!). I take my vitamins. Hell, I even take a calcium supplement! In the next 4-6 weeks I hope to not only let my freaking femur get better…but I also want to figure out what’s going on and make sure I can avoid future bone stress injuries at all costs. Because having two in one year is just completely unbearable.
18 Comments
lizlicorish
It makes total sense to be completely frustrated to have a bone injury when you take such good care of yourself. (I agree – Amenorrhea is such a taboo topic but I feel like runners need to scream from the rooftops how important it is to have a healthy cycle.) It’s good that you are being smart and taking care of yourself. You won’t lose much fitness in 4 weeks – especially since you’re supposed to be recovering anyway. I do hope you feel better soon! I’m glad to have found your blog. 🙂
itsamarython
Late to respond, but thank you Liz!! 🙂 Unfortunately, I really will be out for more than just 4-weeks when all is said and done. …It’ll be more like 8 or 9 weeks. BUT if that means I can come back stronger and not have to deal with injury again, then I will definitely take it!!
Jo
I feel your pain….I have almost the exact same issues right now! I had an MRI with contrast in mid-May to confirm what my doctor was certain was a labral tear (happened last July). My training leading up to my first Boston was REALLY light due to building back from a metatarsal stress fracture in Sept on top of my then undiagnosed hip issues. And I definitely felt the effects of being so unprepared! Anyway, the MRI revealed a femoral stress reaction (possibly fracture) on top of the tear and I’ve been benched from running for at least 4 weeks, probably 8. On top of that, I need to get the hip scope surgery, so even more delays in getting back to what I love. I’m so glad I made it through Boston before this happened, but also really bummed to not be able to run at all during prime running and racing season in Alaska.
itsamarython
Ugh!! I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been bogged down by injury too! The only thing I’ve learned with this bone injury is to accept the healing and to be PATIENT. By the time I’ll be able to even THINK about running a mile, I’ll have been out for 8-9 weeks. And I didn’t even fracture it! Best of luck to you and fingers crossed to no more injuries after this!!
Linnea
Jo – I just got the same diagnosis as you and would love to hear about what you went through and such. I had my right hip labral scope in 2014 and now am on crutches for 6 weeks to allieviate femur stress reaction and then left scope surgery scheduled in May. I’m going crazy! What could you do as far as a workout or any advice you have would be wonderful. Thank you!
Teal
Just reading this (way late, sorry!) and it’s crazy I came across it just now, because I just got diagnosed with the EXACT SAME THING. Be very thankful that it didn’t progress to a full fracture; I know that it has totally sucked for a long time, but it sounds like you are close to being able to run again!! Excited for you to get back to it! 🙂
itsamarython
Hi Teal! I’m so happy you commented and I’m so sorry to hear about your stress reaction too! 🙁 I’ll admit that the only positive thing about this injury that it was pretty debilitating and extremely painful from a very early stage…so I’m happy that made me shut it down and heal right away. Happy healing to you too!!
Dag
Boy can I relate. I’d been running 5-6 days a week for two years without issues (correction I think I had a hip or groin tear a year earlier) and then bam, in May of 2014 (running about 200km a month) I had raging pain at night in my calves. Constant throbbing. I also have dogs and walking them was painful too. Not realizing it was bone and not muscle that was hurt I kept running and cross training at reduced mileage and finally took July and Aug off. Thinking I’d healed a calf strain I started running again in a September but by Dec the pain was back (stress fractures have a high recurrence rate because the bone is extremely porous as it rebuilds itself; so pain goes away and you think you’re fine but the bone is still healing and you open it up again by resuming running). MRI revealed two tibial stress fractures (left leg was worse w right leg probably compensating too much. Doc told me no running or weight bearing exercise til end of Feb at least. I swam 3-4x a week but gained 10lbs anyway. Took the full three months off and started running again in mid March. But it’s now end of July, a year later, and I’m still only running 30-40km a week and my longest run since has been a 15k race. I’m terrified that the fractures will return again. I’ve put plans to run my first marathon on hold til next year as a result which is incredibly hard to do when you see your crew training for big fall races and BQs. I Still can’t do much speed work and my fitness is not what it was before. My goal right now is just to build my mileage back up to be able to do weekly long runs of 20km. I keep waiting for the throbs to come back or often test to see if I can jump. In hindsight I think my age (39), and being 123lbs and probably iron deficient due to mostly year-long plantbased diet (I do eat fish and eggs) and too quick transition from 10 to 4mm drop shoes contributed to this scenario. I’m now cycling through different shoes and taking supplements (despite eating clean like a nutritionist for all of 2014!). It’s very frustrating because I see friends running higher mileage and not getting injured and I do yoga and strength train regularly and keep getting injured.i keep telling myself I’m just happy to be running again but I’m not making any gains at the moment which sucks. Running is the only thing that keeps me sane especially during times of life stress. Thanks for reading about my woes;)
Nour Gee
Hi there,
Stumbled upon your blog post just today. It’s pretty old and I am very late but reading your post somehow makes me feel better, like i am not alone in this! I’ve just been diagnosed with a femoral stress fracture. I must admit I can relate, 100%, to everything you wrote above. I need to rest for about 8-9 weeks, with hopes to be able to train regularly again for my marathon Mid-Aug (My marathon is in November).
Was wondering how you were able to maintain strength in terms of core and lower body all this while. The good news is that I am recommended to swim/bike, but nothing else that creates impact on the legs. What core strengthening workout were you doing? What about your upper body? Also, how did you manage to stay fit and not gain weight while stopping running?
Thanks in advance!
itsamarython
Hi! I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Just be careful when coming back. Returning to running after injury is hard enough, let alone add in the extra stress of training for a marathon. You don’t want to do too much too soon.
That being said: while I was injured, I did a LOT of vinyasa yoga. It not only kept me sane, but I felt so strong and balanced.
Once I was cleared for biking, I also began doing spinning interval workouts, which I think definitely helped gain strength in my legs while also conditioning my heart and lungs. I also lifted about 1-2x/week, which was tricky, because the muscles in that area were VERY deconditioned…but I do think it helped. Shoot me an email if you have any specific questions! Always happy to help. itsamarython@gmail.com
Nat
Nour Gee, I saw your post and wanted to comment! I had a labral tear in my right hip December of 2013 and had the repair end of March 2014, worked my ass off in therapy to heal it for six long months and finally was cleared to begin working out again. My goals were to qualify for triathlon age group nationals and complete another Ironman, both of which I did in August and September 2015! However, my left hip started hurting February 2016 and I was diagnosed with a labral tear but worse the femoral head stress fracture. I was devastated after working so hard to get back to normal and was put on crutches for 8 weeks to heal the stress fracture with a planned labral surgery in May. I’m awful at listening to Dr’s about rest but this is not the type of stress fracture you want to mess with, if it breaks through you are screwed. My advice and what I did was seriously give your body the rest it needs and don’t push through anything or rush back to impact. I found creative things to do, but only if it was pain free. I used a rower with a furniture mover on my bad leg so I was essentially rowing with one leg, I did lots of upper body strengthening like dips, push ups, etc. I biked with no resistance only pushing with my good leg once that was pain free, I swam A LOT but didn’t push off any walls. Do a lot of ab work as well! After the 8 weeks on crutches my MRI still showed no change in stress fracture so surgery was pushed to June but it felt so much better. I was unable to walk in February unassisted and now I was feeling good. I went to PT to work on strengthening everything and by mid May I was pain free. The surgeon cancelled surgery as the torn labrum could have been asymptomatic the whole time and starting then I slowly started to jog. It was a solid 13 weeks of no running at all but I would do t again in a heartbeat to avoid surgery and further complications with the femur. I had to pull out of Ironman Napa in July which was heart wrenching but it is what it is and there’s always another race, but only one femur. Now I’m able to run 6 miles no pain, but I went from running daily to maybe 2x a week and supplementing with rowing, swimming, biking, and lots of strength. You might gain weight but your body could need it and if you focus on eating healthy to help your body heal, you shouldn’t worry too much. Plus it’s only a short time in the long run! Just take things as they come but go day by day and listen to your body! Good luck!!!
tammy roberts
so good to read this post, this is exactly what I found out a week ago – after my dad (a surgeon) fast-tracked me through an MRI in Oxfordshire, I got the results that I have a severe stress reaction in the right femoral head and a small labral tear there too. I was running a LOT leading up to my wedding (almost daily for 3 months – a mixture of Barry’s bootcamp.. think sprinting up treadmill inclines.. and jogging outside) and then every day of our 3 week honeymoon. The last two days I started to feel a niggle every time my right foot hit the ground, first at the back of the hip and then the front. I got back from holiday end of August and then tried running once a week since then but the niggle wouldn’t go away. I backed off running but was still getting mega legs days in (lunges jumps anyone??)… then had enough so dad organised the MRI. Now I am in limbo land waiting to see the sports & med consultant to have a CT scan to find out if it is actually a fracture (I doubt it, I can barely feel anything anymore?!) and literally going nuts. What have people been told they can do exercise wise?? I have been going spinning so quite high intensity, is this safe?? What about squatting etc? Going mad and just want to be running again before I get too used to NOT doing it!!
Dianna
Sitting in my car reading through these. Misery loves company, I guess. It took me the better part of a year to finally come back from a femoral stress fracture. My orthopedic surgeon husband tells me I now have a stress reaction. Same spot. I am about three weeks in to not doing any running or exercise-walking on it. And yesterday, it got worse not better. There’s not really a point to this. Other than, I’m sorry for anyone else doing this. It messes with my head to not be able to do the things that I built up my mind and body to do. It took me a long time to be a runner. Every day off, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to do it again.
Annie Ubbing
My name is Annie and I run track for Ohio State. I was diagnosed with a femoral stress reaction about 4 weeks ago! I was also diagnosed with a stress reaction in my tibia last spring. I came across your post just now while I was googling normal recovery times because I cannot stand swimming any longer. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing! I have been so frustrated the past couple of weeks and it is nice to know that I am not the only person that has been through it. Hope you are healthy and running now!