Can a moderate impact cause a stress fracture?

Question

I got hit in the lower leg twice on one day by a hockey puck, and I wasn't wearing my hockey pads. My doc wants to send me for a bone scan as he says it could be a stress fracture.

Would getting hit by a puck pretty hard twice be enough to cause a stress fracture? I thought those happen when a person all of a sudden increases physical activity.

I'm thinking It may be ligament pain. How can you tell bony pain from ligament pain?

Answer 1

If you got hit on the front of the lower leg it is most likely a stress fracture as there is not a lot of padding between the tibia and the outside world. The best way to tell if it is a stress fracture or ligament is to do an xray or scan and see if the fracture is on the bone. However, a moderate impact CAN damage a bone and a hockey puck is going pretty fast and so if it slammed into the bone with enough force it could hit and result in a hairline fracture. I would suggest the same thing as your doctor and get an xray.

Answer 2

I had an similar issue. I used to play football and that i have been given a rigidity fracture from operating and putting too a lot rigidity from it. it took a three hundred and sixty 5 days to heal and remains contained in the technique of healing! i reccomend going to an orthopedic well-being care specialist who will provide u an X-Ray and then if not something exhibits up, you'll flow to take an MRI which will likely instruct inflamation. then ur well-being care specialist will prob provide u a walking boot/solid. solid success!

Answer 3

Yes, it can cause a stress fracture.

Sometimes you can determine by it's appearance or how it swells. But most of the time you cannot unless you learn the pain threshold of your body. This is why scans (X-rays, CAT and MRIs) are required.