How to Prevent Stress Fractures
Stress fractures occur when the bones of a limb don’t receive enough nutrients. More specifically, they do not have enough calcium and magnesium to create a strong structure. Thus, when you endure minimal trauma, those weak bones can fracture. Stress fractures also happen in people who use their legs too much and develop overuse injuries.
So, how do you prevent overuse injuries in your thighs?
- You could start by making sure that you’re stretching your muscles regularly before walking, running, or jogging.
- Combine aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening workouts using weights or another form of resistance training.
- Use and keep in mind all the recommendations and equipment to avoid injuries, which vary depending on the sport you practice.
What if your primary problem is weak bones and osteoporosis? This can happen to women after menopause and men with low testosterone levels, and the main problem is bone mineralization, which triggers microscopic fractures that build up and cause thigh pain. Here’s what you can do:
- Increasing your intake of calcium-rich foods such as dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and beans. Calcium helps maintain strong bones.
- Look for sources of vitamin D, including fatty fish and seafood. The body absorbs calcium better when combined with vitamin D. Your organism synthesizes this vitamin through sunlight exposure. You only need a bit of sunlight every day to trigger this metabolic process.
- Eat magnesium-rich foods. This mineral works along with calcium to build your bones. Many people increase their calcium intake, but they forget about magnesium. If you don’t have both, your bones will stay weak.
- Engage in resistance training. Even if you think that will increase your risk, it will have the opposite effect. Resistance training will stimulate your bone tissue to build up more robust bones.