Stress Fracture – 2nd Metatarsal
2009 November 6 (16:16)
categories: Stress Fractures
I started running in the Vibram Five Fingers early this summer during a build up to a marathon. My mileage was 60-75 mpw – and I started slowly introducing the VFF’s to where I was using them 2 or 3 times per week. Usually for easy days, no more than 4-6 miles, though I did do a few longer runs on the treadmill with them.
About 8 weeks ago I did a run in them and felt some pain across the top of my foot which I ignored. I stopped running in the VFF’s after that but the pain gradually got worse to the point where I was in pain even to just walk. Finally got an MRI and confirmed a stress fracture.
Question – was my injury caused by the VFF’s – perhaps running too many “barefoot” miles too soon – or was my injury perhaps caused by the return to the regular running shoes which allowed me to strike too hard because of the thick soles? I am pretty sure my overall mileage which had been steady for months before the marathon build-up was not the cause – since the volume was consistent.
There is a suggestion that the bones in my feet may be strengthened by continued and controlled stress to the bones and that perhaps I should still use the VFF’s after my recovery.
Thoughts?
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Comment from JT
Time 2009 November 6 Fri at 5:30 pm
Your stress fractures were caused by not enough barefoot running. You got stress fractures because you were landing too hard with no cushioning. If you land hard, Vibram’s are not the shoe for you.
If you want to learn how to land lightly, wait until you heal and run barefoot. You need to be able to feel the ground with the skin of your soles. If you can’t feel the ground, it won’t hurt to land too hard. If it won’t hurt, then you WILL land too hard.
see:
http://foxyurl.com/Lez
and
http://foxyurl.com/w6y
Good luck, and heal fast!