Stress Fractures and Fatigue Fractures

Bone Fracture - Fracture Due to Overload

Faster – Further – Better!Those who want too much weaken their bones!How the obsession with performance wears down our skeleton.

Causes of Stress Fractures and Fatigue Fractures

Stress fractures and fatigue fractures are not caused by trauma but result from heavy strain, often combined with prolonged pressure on the same areas. This type of overload disturbs bone formation, which leads to fractures. The cause is an imbalance between the building up and breaking down of bone cells. This imbalance is further favored by a lack of minerals. The bone becomes weaker, and cracks and fractures occur more quickly. Unlike fractures caused by trauma, the pain comes on only gradually. Stress fractures are therefore often not noticed at first. Calcium is a mineral that is particularly important for avoiding fractures due to overload. But other minerals are also needed. How can such fatigue fractures be avoided, and how can bone health be maintained in the long term, even under heavy strain?

---

Strengthen your bones to be and stay successful in the long term!

---

Causes of an imbalance or disturbance of bone formation can include:

• Prolonged and heavy strain from sports activities such as running
• Frequent changes in the hardness of the running surface
• Unsuitable footwear
• A poor ratio between strenuous activity and relaxation
• An insufficient supply of minerals and vitamins caused by poor diet, metabolic disorders, or disturbances of the intestinal environment (e.g. leaky gut syndrome)
• Acidosis

The main cause is an unsuitable training program without healthy compensation through rest phases. Anyone who puts too much strain on the body too quickly, without a phase of adjustment, is also particularly at risk.

Who Is Affected?

These fractures occur most frequently in the bones of the lower leg and foot. People who often run long distances, dancers, and athletes who are starting a new sport are particularly affected. In the initial phase, many people tend to demand top performance from their body immediately, without getting it used to the new strain through progressive training. Those affected usually also have flat feet or high arches. Lack of sleep and an irregular cycle in women also increase the risk. What can I do? The following points are often mentioned in this context:

• Compensation through rest phases is particularly important and should definitely be planned into a demanding training program. It is therefore advisable to design a balanced personal training plan with build-up phases and sufficient relaxation.
• Enough sleep.
• Complementary movement such as stretching, yoga and physiotherapy to keep the whole organism healthy.
• Good footwear, ideally individually fitted.
• Complementary naturopathic measures, for example with dietary supplements (wildmacher.com).
• Individual health check with blood tests.
• Personal nutrition plan with a view to nutrient supply. Vitamin D3 and calcium: In recent years, the importance of vitamin D3 has been increasingly recognized. Many patients in my practice have a vitamin D3 deficiency. Vitamin D3 is not only particularly important for the absorption of calcium, but is also connected with other physical and mental processes, such as heart function and the immune system, energy production (ATP) and depression. This means that a calcium deficiency is always accompanied by other deficiencies as well (in osteoporosis, too, a comprehensive individual supply is particularly important). Calcium supply: The body's calcium balance is a dynamic process influenced by many different factors, such as dietary habits, the absorption capacity of the intestine and the excretion of calcium in the urine. Some substances even have a negative effect on calcium absorption, such as oxalate. Oxalate is found in foods such as spinach, chard, leeks, parsley, almonds, strawberries, chocolate and tea. Increased caffeine consumption (more than 2 espressos a day) can also lead to increased excretion of calcium. Too much alcohol can also have a negative effect on bone formation. Soft drinks such as cola, Sprite, etc. contain a high proportion of phosphate, which, when consumed in larger amounts, has a negative effect on calcium balance.
• Industrially processed salt also has consequences for bone formation. Refined salt robs our body of minerals. Other components of bone are magnesium and fluorine. These minerals are also important for bone formation. Stress fractures require medical assessment and treatment. As an accompaniment, I recommend a general and individual assessment tailored to your own needs. This can include a personal training program, a nutrition plan, naturopathic procedures (e.g. intestinal restoration, liver and gallbladder program) and testing for deficiencies. To do sports successfully and stand firmly in life, we need strong bones!