If you have a second metatarsal stress fracture, and you want to stop stressing the second metatarsal, so it can heal faster, you must take stress off that bone. 

If you apply more pressure to all metatarsals (except the second), it will heal faster. 

One of the runners who signed up for the metatarsal stress fracture course for runners was doing better and had starting to run. 

He asked me a question I had just not thought of before. 

He asked:

Should I stop using the metatarsal offloading pads after I start running again and my stress fracture is healing? 

Well, that is a great question and that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

One of the most common runners’ injuries I see for second opinion is a plantar plate sprain. 

A plantar plate sprain happens usually on the bottom of the second toe. It is a little bitty ligament that gets sprained or partially torn. 

Most of those runners with a plantar plate injury want to know how long is it going to take to get back to running.

Recently a few runners told me they asked chat GPT, or some AI program to try to figure this out. So, I wanted to tell you what AI told me when I asked this question of "how long can I run after a plantar plate sprain."

How long before I can start running after a plantar plate sprain? 

Well, that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

The navicular bone isn't a big bone, but is a critically important one. A fracture of the navicular is one of the most frightening things that I see in runners. 

If you get a navicular stress fracture, there are a few mistakes that I often notice. If you can recognize them, you may spend a lot less time in a fracture boot, or off running. 

What are the top five navicular stress fracture mistakes I see in runners? 

Well, that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

I get lots of questions from injured runners about stress fractures. 

As a consequence, one of the most common questions I get is, "How long before I can run if I get a second metatarsal stress fracture." 

So, in this case I decided to ask Dr. CHAT-GPT that question and see what happens!

How long before I can run with a second metatarsal stress fracture? 

Well, that is a great question and that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

Today on the Doc on the Run podcast, we're talking with Dr. Ralph Gonzalez about running UTMB Mont Blanc after recovering from a plantar plate sprain and Achilles tendinosis.

Specifically, he's here to talk about his path from injury to crossing the finish line at UTMB and what inspired him to run the challenging race.

From plantar plate sprain and Achilles tendinitis to running UTMB Mont-Blanc.

I was talking with an injured runner who had a stress fracture in the second metatarsal bone.

He was working hard to get it to heal faster. He had gone through the stress fracture course for runners, and he was doing great.

He asked me a question:

When can I walk at home barefoot with a second metatarsal stress fracture? 

Well, that is a great question and that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast. 

I have recently had a rash of runners with navicular fractures. 

The navicular is a bone that is right on the top of your foot, in front of your ankle and it's also at the apex of your arch.

Navicular fractures are scary because doctors often recommend surgery. 

There are four times when you might really need to have surgery for a navicular fracture and in this episode, we are going to talk about why. 

What are the four times a navicular fracture might need surgery? 

Well, that is what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.

I was on a second opinion call with a runner. She developed a stress fracture in her accessory navicular bone.

If that wasn’t enough, she then started having pain in her arch in the tendon that pulls on her big toe. That tendon is called the Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon, or FHL Tendon. 

Can an accessory navicular stress fracture cause flexor hallucis longus tendinitis in a runner?

Well, the short answer is yes, and I am going to explain how in today's episode of the Doc On The Run podcast.