Stress fracture from practicing X-step

[Mr. Plow]

No joke. I stress fractured my tibia (shin) and I'm 99.9% sure it happened while I was practicing my X-step on a concrete parking lot. I did this about a month and a half ago, and have tried to play intermittently since it happened but every time I throw backhand it hurts like a mother. I can't be the first disc golfer to experience this injury, can I? Anybody?

[keltik]

I used to get shin splints and/or other pains in that area frequently. then I switched to pivoting on my heel, and developed knee pains. now I'm pain free but I was at one time concerned about developing a similar stress/torsional fracture as you describe. I may have had a minute one that has healed over and not have noticed it.

[Mr. Plow]

At first I thought it was shin splints, and having been a serious runner in the past I've had them many times. However, it hasn't gone away from inactivity and the pain is much worse than any shin splints I've ever had. Crummy thing is, I was finally getting to where I can throw around 400' consistently.

I decided the other day I would just learn to throw LHBH if I couldn't throw RHBH. First few throws were all over the place, but after my 2nd lefty round yesterday I'm driving about 250' with a 150 class old school DX Cheetah that's way trashed. LOL. I just grabbed the fugliest semi-understable disc I could find and so far it's been money for me. Who knows, I may end up being better left handed than right. Wouldn't that be a trip, as I've always been right handed?

[Dogma]

Sorry about the leg. Sounds like you were doing something wrong. Somehow jamming your leg instead of pivoting. On the positive side, once you're healed if you can figure out what caused it you may have even more distance. BTW, thats impresive LH distance. File this post under unhelpful but supportive.

[Mr. Plow]

Sorry about the leg. Sounds like you were doing something wrong. Somehow jamming your leg instead of pivoting. On the positive side, once you're healed if you can figure out what caused it you may have even more distance. BTW, thats impresive LH distance. File this post under unhelpful but supportive.

Thanks for the support I know for sure one thing I was doing wrong was overexerting myself and not working up to throwing 100+ discs in an hour or two. Usually stress fractures are caused by overuse, and it makes sense because I went from playing a couple rounds a week to throwing 100+ discs from the parking lot instantaneously. Also, the shoes I play/practice in have very little cushioning in the forefoot which I also suspect to be a problem. A lot of factors played a role in this, but at least I will know what NOT to do from now on!

After playing again today I think I was actually throwing closer to 220-230' on average with that Cheetah (which I am still happy with), but it's still really hard for me to control where the discs are going.

[seabas22]

I also fractured my right tibia(plant leg RHBH) 11 weeks ago along with shin splints and anterior ankle tendonitis to the point I could just barely walk while having a lot of pain with any foot dorsiflexion. I blame this winter since I went from not playing to playing a lot like 54 holes/day and doing 4 hr field practices leading up to the fracture. I think the field practice mostly did the damage since it was throwing a lot of drives one after another with no walking break like in a round. I had some shin splints the week of a big tourney and limped through the first round and then while playing the second round had to stop after the 5th hole where I had some extreme pain. I went to 3 drs that didn't believe I fractured it, but I was pretty sure, and on a follow up after 3 weeks the ortho x-ray showed the fracture. The dr was like well I guess it was a fracture. The first quack gave me crutches which actually made the pain worse. The ortho quack gave me a bledsoe boot which made it feel it better, but I couldnt drive my vehicle with it. My foot dr gave me an Aircast AirSport which helped and I wore that about 7 weeks. Started physical therapy week 8 and got another 3 weeks to go. I have flat feet and wear orthodics to correct that. My ankles are also loose and weak from previous injuries. My physical therapist can't believe how bad my balance is, so I've been working on that and taping my ankles. He said I could try some driving this weekend...yeah! I've only done some putting practice for the past 11 weeks until yesterday I finally got out and did some driving in a field at about 70% with putters and mids. I was surprised that I haven't really lost much as I was easily throwing Bangers 260' and Rocs close to 300'. I also sprained my left wrist last week pretty bad at work, so I've been wreck physically this year! Now I need to heal my wrist, lose weight and strengthen my ankles so I can play more!

[Mr. Plow]

Seabas, that's exactly what happened to me. I forgot to mention it was my plant foot. Sounds like you are a lot worse off than I am though, mine doesn't bother me too much when I'm just walking around. The pain isn't really there until I'm throwing when my weight transfers forward and I spin. I went out today to practice throwing lefty and couldn't help but throw a few RHBH to compare distance between the hands and it didn't hurt much at all. I'm planning on only throwing LHBH for a few more weeks though, just to make sure my leg is completely healed. Besides, I'm kind of having fun throwing LH....and it's a great excuse any time I make a bad throw. Have you tried throwing lefty yet? Maybe it won't hurt, and it will still enable you to play!

[seabas22]

Yeah...it sounds like you are a lot better off than I am. Driving my vehicle was the worst pain having to lift my foot brake to gas. I would stop whatever brings that pain for a while.

I have thrown lefty a little bit, can get my Bangers to around 200', but can't use my left hand with my sprained wrist now. I used to only throw FH until last year, so if I start feeling pain in my leg I will play FH. Im pretty equal FH or BH but more comfortable BH now.

I also fractured a metatarsal two years ago playing all FH on my push foot. I was wearing running shoes on concrete tees and playing a lot. Needless to say I don't wear running shoes anymore. I had a similar problem with Moab Mids not providing enough foot support. I've found Keen Targhee Mids to be the best shoes for me.

[Marauder]

I googled the symptoms of the pain I'm getting in my upper front ankle and shins on my plant foot (RHBH) and found this forum topic and another one from this site. I really didn't start noticing the sharp pains until I really started to work on my jump putting. All the shifted weight landing on that sore shin probably isn't helping.

On the other forum post ( viewtopic.php?f=17&t=19257 ), they said the pain is rooted from too much friction from the foot to the tee pad.

I'm personally going to take a week off and let it heal. Then go back to the basics.

[Mr. Plow]

I googled the symptoms of the pain I'm getting in my upper front ankle and shins on my plant foot (RHBH) and found this forum topic and another one from this site. I really didn't start noticing the sharp pains until I really started to work on my jump putting. All the shifted weight landing on that sore shin probably isn't helping.

On the other forum post ( viewtopic.php?f=17&t=19257 ), they said the pain is rooted from too much friction from the foot to the tee pad.

I'm personally going to take a week off and let it heal. Then go back to the basics.

It took me 2-3 months to get back to where I can throw RHBH without pain. I think for me it was my shoes coupled with me planting my foot too hard. How is it feeling now? I feel your pain man, it sucks!

[Marauder]

My symptoms aren't too bad actually. It's only when I go out and play a ton during a span of 2 weeks. It goes away pretty quickly if I just keep myself away from the course. ( that's a hard thing to do in nice weather though )

[aDave]

Having this issue today after getting new shoes. I got some nice boots with aggressive soles for the muddier stuff that I play in. It may have been a mistake! Don't know if it's a fracture but it's definitely from
not pivoting correctly. I had this same injury early this summer when using running shoes. I switched to flat soled "casual" shoes with less traction and it went away. Oh well back to the drawing board.
It would help if I wasn't a fatass.

[Mr. Plow]

Having this issue today after getting new shoes. I got some nice boots with aggressive soles for the muddier stuff that I play in. It may have been a mistake! Don't know if it's a fracture but it's definitely from
not pivoting correctly. I had this same injury early this summer when using running shoes. I switched to flat soled "casual" shoes with less traction and it went away. Oh well back to the drawing board.
It would help if I wasn't a fatass.

Well, I'm 6'1" and 170 lb so it's probably not due to your weight I've just been practicing throwing on a grass field instead of on pavement, and cut the number of throws I do in one day in 1/2 and it seems to be helping. I've been throwing 60 RHBH and 60 LHBH throws when I practice and haven't had any problems at all. I think you are on to something with the shoes though, because I was also wearing running shoes when I had this problem. Seems flat shoes are the way to go for disc golf.

[aDave]

Went out this morning and played 18 at Kilborne. Still hurts but I was able to play without exacerbating it.
Also ended up driving more accurately due to being careful with my leg.
win!

[aDave]

Just identified how it's happening to me. It's right between the 1st and 2nd steps of my x-step.
As I pivot around my right foot to get my body in position for the reach back, I am pushing off with the ball of my right foot as it rotates. Trying to rotate 330 lbs against the traction of new boots will break your shin!
I fixed it by beginning my x-step with my right foot pointed @ ~9:00-10:00 from my intended line.
This reduces the amount that I need to rotate to get into the reach back. Poof! no worries.
I'm a bit worried that I'm transferring the stress somewhere else. Hip maybe. We will see.
It feels a little weird, but I''m not breaking myself anymore either.
Now on to breaking 350'!


And learning to putt.