Question

Jennifer has been ramping up her running in preparation for a marathon. She is proud of the weight she has lost and she's now down to 103 pounds. She's 5'6" tall and her friends think she's getting a bit too thin. She recently was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her leg. She's reluctant to stop running, but her doctor insists she needs to take a 6 week break to allow her leg to heal and has recommended she try to regain some weight and get back up to at least 115 pounds. She decides she'll just "cut back a bit" on running instead, and she continues to try to train despite the pain. Which statement is correct?

Answer 1

Ignoring her doctor's advice and continuing to run with a stress fracture can worsen Jennifer's injury. It's important to allow time for healing and consider cross-training as an alternative to maintain fitness safely during recovery.

Step-by-step explanation:

Jennifer has been advised by her doctor to take a break from running due to a stress fracture. It is important to respect pain and allow the body to heal properly. Continuing to run, especially with a stress fracture, could lead to further injury and more serious complications. Stress fractures occur in individuals who engage in high-impact sports like running and are often the result of rapidly increasing activity levels without sufficient recovery time.

Ignoring medical advice and continuing to train despite the pain may cause the fracture to worsen, potentially leading to chronic issues or even more serious fractures that could take much longer to heal. Jennifer should consider cross-training, which involves engaging in a variety of different sports or activities. This could help maintain her fitness while reducing the risk of exacerbating her injury. Moreover, she should focus on proper nutrition to regain a healthy weight and provide her body with the nutrients needed to heal.