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What’s a march fracture? Do they only occur in March? No. The term march fracture comes from the number of foot fractures seen in new army recruits as they change from a sedentary lifestyle to marching many miles per day. March fractures, also known as stress fractures, occur in the metatarsal bones of the feet. The metatarsal bones are the long bones, about the size of your index finger, that pass from the midfoot to the toes. What’s a march fracture? Let’s take a closer look.
Bone is one of the most phenomenal structures in our body. Besides acting as the framework to support our bodies, bone performs many different tasks. Bone acts as a reservoir for essential minerals, generates blood cells that carry oxygen and fight infection and a host of other functions. But probably the most interesting thing that bone does, is that it can repair itself. From an engineering standpoint, the ability of bone to repair itself makes it one of the most dynamic structures known to man.
Bone responds to the load applied to it by becoming stronger. If you begin an exercise program, you’ll see an obvious gain in muscle tone, but the bone is also undergoing a measurable change to support the increased load (exercise) applied to the bone. If a load is applied to a bone in a slow and gradual manner, the bone will thicken and become stronger to support that load. But if the load is applied abruptly, The bone won’t be able to tolerate the increased load and will break.
That brings us back to being a foot soldier. One day you’re sitting on the couch watching ‘American Idol’ and the next day you’re in new boots marching 20 miles with a 30lbs. backpack. In many cases, the metatarsal bones of the feet just can’t keep up. The result is a march fracture.
Symptoms of a march fracture include swelling of the forefoot and pain with all activity. X-rays may be unremarkable for several weeks in a march fracture and only show the healing bone rather than the fracture itself. Like any other fracture, march fractures take weeks to heal. Treatment includes a decrease in activity (marching), a walking cast, ice and rest. Surgery is rarely indicated.
If you feel that you may be experiencing symptoms of a stress fracture, please consult your physician.
Dr. Oster practices podiatric medicine, surgery and pedorthics in Granville, Ohio and is medical director of
Myfootshop.com.
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