Tag Archives: fracture

Stress Fracture of the Fibula

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The fibula is one of the two bones that make up the lower leg, and is the thinner of the two (the other bone is the tibia). Because your lower leg can bear quite a bit of weight and strain during sports that require running and jumping, these bones are prone to stress fractures, or tiny cracks in the bone. Although the fibula is the site of a stress fracture less often than is the tibia (because the tibia, being larger, takes on more of the weight and strain), the fibula can develop a stress fracture.

Athletes whose feet overpronate (rotate inward and downward) have a higher risk of a stress fracture of the fibula. That’s because overpronation means some of the muscles in the lower leg must work harder while running. Symptoms of a stress fracture of the fibula commonly include pain and tenderness, especially when you place weight on the leg or when you press on the bone with your finger.

If you think you have a stress fracture of the fibula, you should stop training and rest the leg. Stretching the muscles of the leg can facilitate healing, as can wearing a brace for support. It’s very important to make sure you are free from pain before you resume activity, since failure to allow the fibula to heal properly can cause the injury and pain to linger for months.

To prevent a stress fracture of the fibula, make sure you increase mileage and training gradually, and that you wear equipment and footwear that properly support your feet and legs, if applicable.

Clavicle Fracture

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If you fall onto your outstretched arm or you shoulder, or are directly hit on your collarbone, this can cause a fracture of the collarbone, or clavicle. Symptoms commonly include pain and swelling around the collarbone, and you may also be able to feel the fracture through the skin. You may feel sharp pain whenever you make a movement that disturbs the clavicle.

Sports that increase the risk of a clavicle fracture include those that put you at risk of falling, such as figure skating and hockey, and those that often involve collisions with other players, such as football.

If you think you have fractured your clavicle, consult a sports medicine specialist. Also, try to avoid moving the affected arm, and apply ice to decrease swelling and ease pain.

A sports medicine specialist likely will examine your clavicle, and will take X-rays to determine whether the collarbone has been fractured. Depending on the severity of the fracture, you may need to keep your arm in a sling to give the collarbone a chance to heal. In most cases, the bone heals by itself, and no surgery is necessary.

If, however, the fracture is so severe that immobilizing the arm doesn’t heal it, or if parts of the bone are sticking out of the skin, surgical methods likely will be necessary to help the bone heal. Surgery to repair the bone generally involves inserting a metal plate and screws to hold the bone in place. Once the bone has healed, this metal plate can be removed, but often is simply left in place.

After the clavicle has healed, whether from surgery or from immobilization in a sling, it’s important to regain range of movement and strength through rehabilitation exercises, which your sports medicine specialist will prescribe to you.