Case Study - An Ultra-runner with a stress fracture

AH is a 58 year old female ultra-runner who suffers from Osteoporosis and was referred to AquaPhysio after suffering a stress fracture to her metatarsal.

Her initial goal was to be able to maintain her fitness levels while the fracture healed as she was unable to run on land at all for 6 weeks. She used aquatic exercise alongside cycling at home as very low impact forms of cardiovascular exercise.
The physiotherapists at AquaPhysio created a personalised exercise plan for her in the water which involved aqua running, stretching and mobilising exercises along with some jumping exercises. AH attended twice per week over the 6 weeks and was then ready to gradually return to running on the roads. She found that not only had she been able to maintain her fitness levels by using the pool, but they had actually improved. Having not run on land at all during June and July, in September she recorded her personal best Marathon time.

Since recovering from her stress fracture, AH has continued to use AquaPhysio as part of her training, substituting 1 or 2 land sessions per week for pool sessions. With osteoporosis, AH is always liable to suffer bone injuries, particularly with the amount of running that she undertakes, but she is using AquaPhysio in order to keep her fitness up in a reduced weight bearing environment, and thereby reduce impact forces and as a result, the risk of incurring further injuries.