Q: I was on a hellacious cycle for a long, long time and came off within the last 6 weeks. I’m doing okay, but I’ve just been diagnosed with stress fractures on my long shin bones - both sides - and now can’t do anything that creates impact in that area. I am flabbergasted! I got a stress fracture in my foot once, but that was from repetitive injury from running. How could I possibly have stress fractures with so much bone density at this juncture of my bodybuilding career?

A: Good question and it’s more common than you may think. Many lifters get them, but usually get them in the feet or get shin splints (which is not a fracture, but a pulling away of muscle from bone in the area of the tibia). Yours sounds a bit more complex. However, remember, the body pulls calcium from any area it can when there is either a deficiency or a hormonal imbalance. We’re glad you chose to include that you had been on a very long cycle, and you emphasized that quite clearly. That gives us a good clue that, hormonally, you’re truly “out of whack” and that your body also couldn’t take such a long “heavy phase”.

First off, we recommend that you get access to a pool so that you can keep what you worked so hard to gain. We’re not going to lie, it isn’t the same as doing squats, but you can get some good resistance in the pool if you use the right tools. Kick-boarding is great as is ankle weights under water. You can also probably do leg extensions and leg curls, depending upon where you have your fractures and how severe they are. You also need a lot of ice therapy, elevation and good anti-inflammatories. Use something prescription, such as Indocin or something strong. Keep inflammation out while you do minor workouts. If you can stay off of your legs most of the day, that is the best - you’ll heal faster.

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