What is a March Fracture (Stress Fracture of the Metatarsals)?
March fracture is a stress fracture in the metatarsal bones, often affecting dancers, runners, and athletes who do repetitive footwork. Early detection and load management are essential to avoid complications or re-injury.
Definition
The March Fracture is an injury that occurs by the accumulation of microtrauma to the bone, that you are not able to be repaired properly. As the person continues to practice their sport, microtrauma accumulate and increases the risk of fracture. In the case of the marchadores and dancers, March Fracture usually occur in the bones of the leg, especially in the tibia and the fibula.
Causes
The most common causes of aMarch Fracture are:
- Overload: excessive training can cause an overload in the bones, which increases the risk of March Fracture.
- Bad techniques of training: a training technique inadequate may cause an overload in your bones and increase the risk of March Fracture.
- Lack of sleep: lack of rest between workouts do not allow the bones to recover properly, increasing the risk of March Fracture.
- Inappropriate footwear: the use of inappropriate footwear or worn out can increase the stress on the bones, increasing the risk of March Fracture.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of March Fracture is done through a physical examination and complementary tests, such as x-rays, mri, or bone scan. It is important that the diagnosis is made as soon as possible to avoid more serious complications.
Treatment
The treatment of the March Fracture in marchadores and dancers is at rest and pharmacological treatment for pain and inflammation. In some cases, it may be necessary to the use of splints or boots, to immobilize the affected area. In more severe cases, it may be necessary to have surgery to fix the fractured bone.
Rehabilitation
Once the fracture stress has been treated and the bone has begun to be welded, it starts the rehabilitation. The rehabilitation consists of muscle strengthening exercises, stretching and mobility exercises to regain functionality of the affected area. It is important that the rehabilitation is carried out under the supervision of a physical therapist to avoid relapses and complications.
Back to the action
The return to action after a March Fracture in marchadores and dancers should be gradual and under the supervision of a specialist. It is important to start gentle exercises and gradually increase the intensity and training load. It is recommended to use proper footwear and to perform muscle strengthening exercises to prevent future injury.
Note: this article is only intended to be informational use. In any case self-diagnose. If you suffer from any medical condition, we recommend that you go to your physical therapy clinic of confidence.
Cedric Arregui Guivarch National Coach of Basketball (CES 2014)
Webgrafía and Bibliography
- ‘March Fracture’ of the website of the University Clinic of Navarra. Available in: https://www.cun.es/diccionario-medico/terminos/fractura-estres
- ‘Stress fractures of the tibia and fibula’ the portal of the University Clinic of Navarra. Available in: https://www.cun.es/patologias/fracturas-por-estres-tibia-perone
