Navicular Stress Fracture Test, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Navicular stress fracture occurs in foot. It is the most common stress fracture which usually occurs in athletes. Athletes who do jumping and sprinting are at hit list. Navicular is the tasral bone present in foot ankle. It is rightly placed just above the heel bone. Navicular stress fracture results from repetitive strains and continuous use of navicular bone. Guys at gym due to wrong training or weight lifting at wrong angle may suffer from navicular stress fracture. The exact mechanism of injury is not known but it is considered that fracture occurs because of compression of navicular bone within other bones around it due to stress.
As navicular bone is present in foot, so symptoms of navicular stress fracture are associated with it. Patient feels unbearable pain in mid foot area. The pain is localized. If patient does not stop exercising or sports, the pain may get worse. Upon applying weight on foot, pain may radiate along the arch of foot and then disappears on rest. Pain will start again as training resumes. Along with pain, patient also feel tenderness in foot if pressure is applied on the top of thumb I.e. N spot.
The following factors can cause navicular stress fracture.
There is poor blood supply in navicular bone, so treatment is difficult. A good blood supply is needed to heal it completely. Casting is preferred usually to treat stress fracture in navicular bone. Patient have to rest for at-least 6 weeks because even slow walking absorbs navicular bone. The success rate of casting is 85 to 90 percent. Other methods of treatment involve use of bone simulator. It helps a lot in bone healing but it does not effect healing time. Walk during casting is strictly prohibited because even a little walk will increase healing time up to 25 percent.
At initial stage, X rays may show nothing but Magnetic resonance imaging or bone scan will clearly show fracture at navicular bone. Navicular drop test is performed to assess fracture specifically in navicular bone. In this test, the height of navicular bone is checked while patient stand in front of physician. 1st height of navicular bone is checked at rest, and it is again checked after applying stress on both foot. So the difference in measurement is known as navicular drop. Greater than 10 mm is considered in excessive foot pronation.
Navicular Stress Fracture Symptoms
As navicular bone is present in foot, so symptoms of navicular stress fracture are associated with it. Patient feels unbearable pain in mid foot area. The pain is localized. If patient does not stop exercising or sports, the pain may get worse. Upon applying weight on foot, pain may radiate along the arch of foot and then disappears on rest. Pain will start again as training resumes. Along with pain, patient also feel tenderness in foot if pressure is applied on the top of thumb I.e. N spot.
Navicular Stress Fracture Causes
The following factors can cause navicular stress fracture.
- If patient starts athletic activity at a very high level. He does not let his bones and muscles to relax, that's why stress increases and as a result fracture occurs.
- Patient does not relax for sufficient time and body remains under stress so it leads to navicular stress fracture.
- Bio-mechanical abnormality.
- Relative osteopenia.
- Wrong fitting of equipment.
- Training under Non professional trainer
- Due to weight lifting at wrong angle or wrong training is the common cause.
- The exact mechanism of navicular stress fracture is not known yet.
Navicular Stress Fracture Treatment
There is poor blood supply in navicular bone, so treatment is difficult. A good blood supply is needed to heal it completely. Casting is preferred usually to treat stress fracture in navicular bone. Patient have to rest for at-least 6 weeks because even slow walking absorbs navicular bone. The success rate of casting is 85 to 90 percent. Other methods of treatment involve use of bone simulator. It helps a lot in bone healing but it does not effect healing time. Walk during casting is strictly prohibited because even a little walk will increase healing time up to 25 percent.
Navicular Stress Fracture Test
At initial stage, X rays may show nothing but Magnetic resonance imaging or bone scan will clearly show fracture at navicular bone. Navicular drop test is performed to assess fracture specifically in navicular bone. In this test, the height of navicular bone is checked while patient stand in front of physician. 1st height of navicular bone is checked at rest, and it is again checked after applying stress on both foot. So the difference in measurement is known as navicular drop. Greater than 10 mm is considered in excessive foot pronation.
Navicular Stress Fracture Test, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
March 10, 2019
Rating:
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
March 10, 2019
Rating:
