Prevent Heel Fractures Rather Than Try Treating It

Heel Fractures commonly occur to sportsmen, especially runners. It is a common ailment suffered by fast bowlers all over the world. It requires rehabilitation for a long period of time. There are cases of sportsmen out of action because the time required for complete cure and subsequent training. Among runners it affects long distance athletes, especially marathon runners. Heel stress fractures are a little different from fractures happening to bones in other parts of the body. Heel fractures happen due to repeated stress. Other fractures happen in a single event. In addition to the heel the two bones extending from the knee to the ankle and also those between the ankle and toes are also affected. This is perhaps because of the location of the heel in between the toes and the ankle. A major reason for heel fractures is weakening of the calf muscles. It is the calf muscle which absorbs most of the pressure traveling through the feet and ankle. The ankle joint and the heel bones thereby take very little pressure. A weakening of the calf muscles results in considerable reduction in shock absorption and motion control, increasing stress on the parts of the foot between ankle and toes. Weakening of the calf muscles plays an important factor in heel bone fractures. This explains the difference in its occurrence, between men and women sports persons. Men with much bigger calf muscle are less prone to such disorders than women. A study has clearly shown that strengthening of the calf muscle is the most important thing to be done to reduce the possibility of getting a heel fracture. A further study has thrown up a finding that the size of the calf muscle does not have a direct bearing on the incidence of heel fractures. Since heel fracture is caused by activity related to running, much research is being done how the method of running can contribute to the reduction in the occurrence of this problem. Shorter strides are recommended for running, even though professional runners and fast bowlers may prefer to take longer strides for effective fast running. Reducing the length of strides while running results in the feet hitting the ground with much less force than when the strides are longer. A possibility of heel fractures is therefore very much less. This is one disorder that can be attended to and is within the control of the sportsperson himself. But it has become a common practice for all sports persons to go to specialist sports medical practitioner, for specialized treatment. Usually what a specialist does is not clear. But the affected person returns to normal activity after quite a long break. Heel fracture is curable, only by corrective measures to be taken by the sports persons. Apart from strengthening of calf muscles the other important measure to reduce the length of strides while running. Small reduction of even 10% can be effective. Any further reduction tried is also not possible because of the discomfort it causes to the person concerned.