Possible Stress Fracture

I'm not a happy camper. I found out Thursday that my shin splints have great potential to have turned in to a stress fracture. I was texting back and forth with my personal trainer on Thursday and I asked him what I should do about shin splints. We were texting back and forth and he was asking me if it was on the inside of my shin or outside of my shin. He wanted to know if it hurt while I was running, etc.

I told him I haven't been able to run since Monday because it hurt SO bad. I'm to the point where I can barely walk on it and the pain is constant, except when I'm sleeping.

He told me that I needed to get inserts for my shoes and that I needed to get compression socks, but that he has a VERY strong suspicion that it's a stress fracture!

Now, I trust BJ and what he has to say. He went to school at the University of Utah in sports therapy and health stuff, so he knows what he's talking about. Granted, he's not a doctor, but he's had enough schooling and he's trained so much that he knows what he's talking about.

When he said stress fracture, I just felt my heart drop. I was at work and I got up to talk to my manager (I'm supposed to do a 1/2 marathon with her a week from today) and I honestly started to cry.

Not more than 5 minutes before I got a text from BJ I decided that I needed to call my general practicioner to see what I should do about these "shin splints".

I've had these shin splints for probably 3 weeks now, just within the last 1 - 1 1/2 weeks is when the pain has got significantly worse.

I heard back from my general practitioner and he didn't even want to see me. He told me I needed to go straight to an orthopedic surgeon. Shit! Thankfully I don't need a referral or anything because I already have one (I broke my other leg & ankle a couple of years ago and had to have surgery).

I called up Dr. Johnston's office & left them a message. I really wanted to hear back from them quickly so I could hopefully get in that day, but I didn't hear back from them until almost 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The soonest they can get me in for x-rays and stuff on my leg is on Monday at 2:00 p.m.

I made the appointment, but in the back of my head I was wondering to myself "do I go to insta-care so I don't do any more damage to it before Monday?" Now, my dad is an EMT and he is very smart when it comes to broken bones, etc. Unfortunately he was out of town in Denver. But, I called him up and explained to him what was going on. He told me to save my money and not go to Insta-Care and we would just treat it as a stress fracture until Monday when I can get in to the doctor.

I don't know alot about stress fractures so I started researching it after BJ told me he thinks I have a stress fracture. If it is a stress fracture, they'll either put you in a cast or they will put you in a boot. It takes anywhere from 4-12 weeks to heal. If it's SUPERBAD, they have to do surgery. So, if they cast it, I can't do ANY kind of workout.

I've got a 1/2 marathon a week from today (3/19) that it looks like I'm not going to be doing. I'm really bummed about it. It was going to be my first race of the season. Thank God I didn't have to pay to register for this race (I won entry in to the race), but I'm bummed. I've got a friend coming down from Spokane doing the race and it was going to be exciting to run a 1/2 marathon with someone I know. Plus, my personal trainer is doing this race as well. I was really excited when I heard that because granted, BJ will finish the race before me, but I wanted him to see me in action. He hasn't ever seen me participating in a race. Now...a little humorous, I am contemplating finding a wheelchair and wheeling my way through the race. Haha!!! I don't know. That would be super hard on my arms I think. But even if it's not a stress fracture in my leg, I still am not in enough shape any more to run 13.1 miles in a week.

If I'm in a cast for 8 weeks, I've got 3 races planned in April that I have already registered for. I would obviously not be able to do those races. I will be out about $120. I think that's one thing I'm the most upset about. Plus, after the 8 weeks of being in a cast, you have to do physical therapy and I won't be able to just jump back in to doing triathlons. I was reading and it says after you get out of your cast/boot, you should only up your workout by a maximum of 10% each week as to not overdo it and re injure your leg! Unfortunately, after everything I have read, I'm pretty convinced it's a stress fracture.

With shin splints, you should still be able to run and while you're running, you're shin splints go away. Yeah, I can't even run.

With shin splints, you should still be able to put a significant amount of weight on your leg...yeah, no can do.

This is just not looking good. I am EXTREMELY upset about this. I don't know how far back this is going to set me and it looks like I'm going to be out a good portion of $$$.

I will keep everyone posted and let you know what happens Monday at the doctor's office. Pray for me, send good vibes out to the universe for me. Cross all your fingers and toes. :)