Running stress fractures
A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone caused by repetitive load - most often in the hip, shin or foot - and it is a frequent overuse injury in runners, especially after a jump in training, a change of surface or footwear, or when energy intake has not kept up with training. It typically presents as a focal, worsening pain that comes on earlier in a run and does not settle, as well as causing pain at night.
Stress fractures need respect: the bone has to be offloaded to heal, and running is paused or modified for a period. But rehabilitation is about far more than rest - it addresses the training, biomechanical and, where relevant, health and nutrition factors that led to it, and rebuilds a graded return to running so it does not recur. Melissa assesses the injury, guides the healing phase with onward referral for imaging where needed, and structures your return.
Common questions
How long does a stress fracture take to heal?
Most stress fractures take in the region of six to eight weeks of appropriate offloading to heal, though this varies with the bone and the individual, and higher-risk sites take longer and need closer oversight. Return to running is then graded on top. Because the cause matters as much as the crack, the healing period is also used to address what led to it.
How do I return to running after a stress fracture?
Through a graded plan once the bone has healed and is pain-free: starting with walking and short run-walk intervals, then progressively building distance and intensity within symptom limits. Alongside this, we look at training load, strength and the factors that contributed, so the return is durable. Rushing the progression is the main cause of recurrence.