I’m hurting.
About a week ago I was visiting a friend. We walked to the store to get ingredients for dinner and I noticed a pain in my foot. I thought this was odd but it seemed mild.
Later that night I was limping.
A stress fracture is a fracture that comes out of nowhere. It usually happens in the foot behind the toes. There are two people who are at high risk of stress fractures and I don’t fit either group:
- Women with osteoporosis
- Athletes training too aggressively
I know what you’re thinking. “But Rogue Priest,” you say, “You are training aggressively!”
That’s just the thing. To train aggressively means doing too much, too quick, with no buildup. It means going from 10 push-ups to 100. It means punishing your body.
I’ve been going for six and nine mile walks, but that’s after building up to it with three and four mile walks. And one mile walks. I’ve been increasing my walking for six months, and my physical activity for a year. And I stretch before I go.
I’m careful because I have trained too aggressively—irresponsibly—before. And it snapped my ankle. It broke it right through. Two years and a surgery later I was finally back on track to walking across the world.
An experience like that scares you. At least, it scared me. So I’ve been cautious and gradual in my training since then. But still, now I have a stress fracture in my foot. Six weeks before the Adventure starts.
[space reserved for eff bombs]
But there is one thing about my training habits that’s still risky. I’ve been trying out different footwear. I’ve been comparing thin-soled flat shoes versus padded athletic shoes. And I’ve been strongly leaning toward the thin-soled option and very public about it.
So I want to disclose some things.
Disclosures
First, I never felt like I was abusing my foot in the thin-soled option. It was comfortable and made long walks nicer than athletic shoes. But there’s no denying it subjects your foot to more impact, especially on pavement. It definitely left my feet a bit more sore. I suppose my bones were taking some of that stress and had a hard time standing up to it.
Second, this is not the first stress fracture I know of related to lack of shoe padding. When I used to work at the art museum, a friend there got a stress fracture after she switched to Vibram Five Fingers for her jogs.
This doesn’t prove that Vibrams, or low padding, causes stress fractures.
But it does indicate that something as simple as trying thinner soles can count as “aggressive training” when you’re doing everything else right. I want to yell that across the blogosphere so other people don’t make the same mistake. Pass it on.
So here’s the question people are asking me now—am I going to be an idiot and keep using thin soled shoes, or come back to the land of padded hiking and athletic shoes with head hung low?
Neither one. The big problem with athletic shoes and hiking shoes is this: the thick heel. Having padding under your foot isn’t a bad thing, but a thickly padded heel and jacked-up arch support weaken the foot. I’ve witnessed firsthand how my arches have strengthened (I’ve actually lost a full shoe size!) since I went to flat, thin soles.
So there’s a compromise here. Wear shoes that have flat soles, without thick heels supports, but make sure they still have adequate padding. Put an insert in. You get the best of both worlds.
(I had already come up with this solution but hadn’t implemented it yet, so the stress fracture is my procrastination tax.)
Walking?
Don’t worry about me though. I’m talking it easy (regrettably) and the fracture should heal in four weeks. With a little time to get back in shape before setting out across the world on foot.
Anybody have a stress fracture before? Do you know what caused it, or did you just have to guess like I am? Any tips on how to heal up quick?
Drew Jacob, Rogue Priest
May 7th, 2012 at 9:15 am
I feel your pain. I hated having to take it easy to let the stress fracture in my knee heal a few weeks ago.
In my first 4 years working for the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, I worked for Safety Services. During a typical day shift, you walk about 30 miles in a 12 hour shift (some more, some less depending on fitness level). I had the same boots for all four years (and then an additional 3 years working entertainment). While the boots were of high quality, the inner sole was flat (outer had a small heel). It was always the inserts that made the boots comfortable.
When you walk that much, you learn quickly what works and what doesn’t.
May 7th, 2012 at 11:38 pm
I’ll take it to heart, Sean, thank you.
And… wait wait, 30 miles a day? I guess that’s possible at a normal walking pace but, FYI, the hardiest backpackers I’ve heard of clock in at 25ish miles a day… though wearing a pack.
May 8th, 2012 at 5:51 am
It is quite possible that my memory is off on that number. One of our guys had worn a pedometer to track his steps.
May 8th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Haha, I would keep proudly saying 30 miles, Sean… :)
May 8th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
LOL! Just heard back from him. It was 26-32 on average for him (and he’s a bit out of shape). The day-side shift at fest is a 12 hr shift where you really don’t ever sit down or stop walking. Minus an hour break. So 11 hrs of walking.
May 8th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
It makes sense, actually. Most hikers don’t go 11 hours/day, aren’t getting paid to keep going and have heavy packs slowing them down. Congrats on handling such a rugged job.
May 8th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
I was lucky it was only on the weekends. Took a lot of soaking the feet Sunday & Monday to recoup. Much happier being an entertainer now. Always still a little footsore after the weekends, but a lot less mileage.
May 7th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
I am unsure why you think padded heels will make your feet weak? I am an athlete and I require thick soles to reduce impact. Training on the BOSU can help if you want to strengthen the ankles and proprioceptors of your feet.
It is good that you have experimented with finding the right kind of shoe but now it’s time to settle on the ones that don’t cause problems for you in the sort and long term.
I am currently dealing with an achilles issue and finding that the cryosauna is helping heaps with it (granted this is a ligament and tendon thing, not bone as in your case).
May 7th, 2012 at 11:44 pm
You can read my summary of the controversy about athletic shoes here: Shoes or Barefoot, the 7000 Mile Question. Or read the book Born to Run by McDougall, for a much more comprehensive look and opinions from coaches, trainers and doctors.
Short story: it’s not padding per say that’s bad, but the shape of the modern athletic shoe. It uses very thick heel padding and a high arch support to change the way the foot strikes the ground. This on its own may be bad, and the arch support means the arches don’t have to work as hard, which may also weaken them.
With that said, I’m glad to finally have the opinion of an athlete. And yeah, I need to get me some BOSU time again! It’s been a year :(
Just out of curiosity what kind of athlete are you, Mikhael?
May 7th, 2012 at 11:15 pm
All I can say is… give yourself time. I’ve dealt with several stress fractures, one in my right ankle (twice) and in both of my wrists (from drawing A LOT). I remember having to balance my activity, take frequent breaks (something hard to do when you don’t want to stop or forget to stop), and whenever it is not necessary, do not put any extra pressure on that area. At least that was the advice given to me.
The hardest part is the waiting.
May 7th, 2012 at 11:50 pm
You got a stress fracture from DRAWING too much??
Okay stop it, now you’ve got me scared about typing.
May 10th, 2012 at 12:11 am
Yes, it’s TRUE. I broke several of my fingers on my right hand — my pinkie and ring finger are crooked, never healed right — when I got into a fight with a boy (long story, let’s just say I defended myself well). So throughout high school and college I had to learn how to draw and write with both hands. Later had complications with carpal tunnel. Almost lost the ability to use my hands, went through intense physical therapy in 1991-92, then in 1993 got stress fractures from drawing bill-board sized pastel paintings ( I *really* over did it).
I scared some of my friends so much, one of them who started working for Marvel comics, that he insured his hands!
I still go through bouts of tremendous pain when I draw… betcha didn’t know that, eh?
But you know what? It has NEVER stopped me from doing what I love. I’m devoted.
May 10th, 2012 at 12:17 am
Oh, and I forgot, on my left hand I had a cyst grow in my wrist that had to be removed when I was 16, but it still caused nerve damage. Doctors said that I would lose 30% of feeling in that hand, yet I proved them wrong.
So, even with a bad prediction or diagnosis, you can still beat the odds, breathe through the pain, pace yourself, soothe yourself, and just carry on. That’s the “pep” talk I want to leave you with, not just some happy-go-lucky advice.
I support you, always.
May 11th, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Thanks, Val.
May 13th, 2012 at 12:03 am
You’re welcome. I had to add a story there! Hope your fractures heal fast!
May 10th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
I went through two attempted seasons of track in junior high. I loved the hurdles and, even though I was never the fastest, I enjoyed the training. But both years, after two to three meets, I would have to drop out due to injury. Between practice season and my (few) meets I sprained my left ankle thrice, strained it once and sprained my right ankle twice and fractured the growth plate once. I had to be in an air-cast for 8 weeks for the last one.
I healed up from all of them with time but found out something interesting which ended any athletic ambitions: I have a cartilage deficiency. Mine is weaker and takes twice as long to repair damage. Walking is fine if I build up very, very slowly but I can only run for 10-15 minutes before other people can hear my knees grinding. And cold starts are impossible; one or the other (usually the right) will seize up and I’ll be kissing concrete before you know it!
Yet I don’t think of myself as physically weak. My body simply requires patience and a lot of attention on my part. So I’ve gotten into yoga and have started to look into Tai-Chi. And I have been very rewarded with a better relationship with my physical self and a lot more patience than I ever thought I had in me.
May 11th, 2012 at 10:58 pm
I’ve heard really good things about Tai Chi for physical rehabilitation and arthritis. I suspect you’ll find it useful for your cartilage deficiency too. I’m glad you’re continuing to be active in a way that works with your health.
May 23rd, 2012 at 9:07 pm
That Totally Sucks Dino Cock! (That was the biggest thing I could think of, that happens to play on the term ‘boner’ as well)
The good thing is that now you know before your trip instead of it happening while you’re on it. And, that we now know that going straight to thin soles is aggressive training and a big no no. Thanks :)
May 25th, 2012 at 10:16 am
True. I’m glad I could be…. useful?
May 25th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Yes, yes you are ^_^
June 11th, 2012 at 8:07 am
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