Fatigue fractures in track athletes

Pain in a foot or in the lower leg, not related to specific injury, in a track athlete who does a great deal of running, is the first symptom of fatigue fracture. X-ray films taken at the time pain begins may show no abnormality. Films taken a month or more later may show formation of callus, and perhaps a fracture line, at the point of pain. Usually no treatment beyond cessation of running for two months or more is needed. Since the incidence is highest in middle-distance runners who train intensively-quartermilers in particular-and may be related to the hardness of the running track, limiting running to alternate days and doing part of it on grass may help in prevention.