When can I start running after metatarsal fracture if no healing on the x-ray?

If you get a fracture of the metatarsal, you have to make sure that it's healed before you start running on it. 

It doesn't matter if it's a stress fracture, or a traumatic fracture where you stepped in a hole, tripped or fell off a ladder. 

Deciding when it appears to be healed enough to withstand the forces of running is the key.

The most common way doctors decide when the fracture is fully healed is by taking an X-ray. 

 

When can I start running after a metatarsal fracture if I have no healing on the X-ray? 

 

Well, that's a great question and that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.