Chronic pain
I would like to ask and see if anyone might have any suggestions for me regarding chronic leg pain. Roughly two years ago I was diagnosed with bilateral fibular and tibial stress fractures–which ironically came as a relief because I had spent the previous six months running on pain as i was repeatedly misdiagnosed and treated for problems I did not have. The pain (and, I suppose, the stress fractures) began in both fibula and, after I had continued to run on the injuries for roughly six months and they continued to worsen, affected both tibial as well. I immediately stopped running, took the requisite time off, and began again. The pain resumed, and since then I have been (perhaps foolishly) cycling through periods where I run for a month or two, notice the pain has returned, and stop running. However, it is a different sort of pain–it does not occur during my runs, but afterwards, usually in the evening and for a period of three to four hours. It is not the sharper pain of the stress fractures that I remember, but more of an ache, as if there is pressure in the area on the inner front of both lower legs, extending from the ankle to the knee. I do not know what to do, apart from not running (which I have been doing, but have been noticing that the pain is still prevalent even in the absence of physical activity), and I do not know what this injury may be. Can anyone help? You have no idea how grateful I would be
Leigh
2 comments
leigh
Thank you so much for the advice–I will certainly try it, and if nothing works I will then see a doctor, as I should have probably done by now. Thanks again,
Leigh
Muscledawg
Hi Leigh,
If you have recurrent stress fractures you should be talking to your doctor about why. Have you a metabolic disorder which manifests as birttle bones? Or is it some mechanical which applies too much stress to your tib-fib joint?
A dull ache at the tib fib joint *could* be a referred pain from your piriformis in your hip.
Stretch your piriformis by sitting at the edge of your chair and placing one ankle on the opposite knee. Keep your back straight and lean forward. YOu should feel a stretch in your “back pocket”. If this is tight or you have pain standing on one foot (as when putting on pants) thats a sign your piriformis is a bit grumpy.
you can also release your piriformis by lying with a baseball at the base of one cheek and rolling around until you find a “yummy” spot. Stay there breathing through the discomfort until you feel that spot relax; odds are if you experience this that most of your pain will be gone straight away.
At any rate, Please see a sports medicine doc to get a real diagnosis of whats going on so that you know how to fix it.
Good Luck,
Muscledawg.