Stress Fracture(Tibia)

Following two visits to the hospital and appointment with consultant I've been told I've got a stress fracture of the left tibia and told no running for at least 3 months!
Has anyone else suffered from this injury and what was the healing process like and what did you to to stay fit.
The consultant said that to rest it as much as possible for 2 weeks initially,I thought they would have put it in plaster but apparently they don't do that anymore.

First thing Slewts is DO NOT PANIC! Stress fractures are an inconvenience in many respects. Rest is the main cure and boost your calcium intake a bit to aid recovery. The main reason for the lack of plaster is that they want you to exercise the leg muscles to keep them. By imobilsing the leg and joint it causes muscle wastage and leads to the alarming sight of two bones and a bag of skin when the plaster is finally removed, not to mention the smell! So stretch that leg gently and keep it mobile.
The next point is to find out why the fracture occured. Have you recently had a bad bang or fall on that leg or is there another avenue of investigation. My first point would be to look at your trainers as they could be throwing extra stress on the leg by over compensating for your running gait. Thats just a thought based on limitd info but it's usually where most lower leg running related problems start. The shoe may feel fine to you but only a GOOD and EXPERIENCED running shop employee/sales assistant or medical professional can say for certain. What makes a good one I can not say, ask around your local running fraternity as bad news travels in this respect. But back to the main point, rest that leg and yet give it GENTLE stretching exercises. The classic is lying on the oppersite side and tracing a box shape with your toes pointed, holding each corner for the count of 10. Goodluck.

Hello, i just got back from a ski holiday where a high speed tumble and inadequate bindings led to my left tibia being broken over the top of my ski boot. French health service expensive but amazing, i returned home to the local hospital taking one look at the x-ray, which clearly showed a clean break and removing he plaster sending me home with a compression bandage and no word on what exercise i should and shouldn't be doing. If you could help me with when i can start exercising again. gutted to give all my race numbers to my housemate. leg is hurting right now and i dont even know if i am supposed to be walking on it, how many languages am i expected to speak :)

Slewts, I've just recovered from a tibial stress fracture, but yours sound worse than mine! After I originally did the damage (I ran on rocks) I carried on for another week and made it worse until I was forced to stop. I tried a comeback 3 weeks later (v. silly) and went backwards. In all I had 7 weeks off running and this is my 1st comeback (proper!) week.

To be honest, I haven't taken it easy, as I'm confident that the healing is complete and I was so shocked at the amount of fitness I'd lost! Everything is fine though.

I waited till I could hop pain free and then another 3/4 weeks. All aches gone and the leg felt right. That worked for me :o)

Good luck.

It's a long time since I've posted on these forums, but it hasn't been good news since I last posted and without being able to run I didn't have the inclination to look at the site.
Anyway sice the sress fracture was diagnosed I did as I was told and no running, the pain I was suffering with the fracture cleared up, but I started to get a different type of pain a type of numbness and burning sensation.
This initally baffled my GP, I was sent for a course of physiotherapy, this didn't help.I've seen a podiatrist, I now wear orthotics but still no real improvement.
I went back to my GP who thought I may have nerve damage to the leg, I was referred to a consultant at the Pain Clinic at the local hospital.
She agreed with my GP and I am now taking srrong tablets and have to wear a "Tens" machine which sends electrical pulses or endorphins to the brain to eleviate the pain.
I've been told to try running again gradually to try and trick the brain into getting used to the motion of running again.
I'll keep you all posted as I've got a free place for the New York Marathon which the charity has kindly rolled over since 2003, and this is my goal for this year.