A stress fracture is one of the most common overuse injuries related to exercise and sports. Though this condition is typical among athletes, a stress fracture can affect anyone who participates in repetitive or high-impact activities. Almost 50% of all sports injuries are overuse injuries.
A stress fracture in your foot typically occurs as the result of movements that produce repeated strain on an affected bone. In response to the added pressure, the bone develops a tiny, hairline crack, called a stress fracture. Without treatment or modifying your activities to allow the bone to heal, the crack can become deeper over time.
Early detection and appropriate care are the best ways to prevent a stress fracture from developing into a full broken bone. At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, our team of board-certified foot and ankle specialists provide professional diagnosis and treatment of stress fractures and other foot injuries, diseases, and conditions. After a thorough physical examination and assessment, your podiatrist determines the extent of your stress fracture and the most appropriate course of treatment for recovery.
Find out how to decide whether your symptoms indicate a potential stress fracture and how you can prevent your condition from worsening.
Physical symptoms of a stress fracture
Stress fractures often affect the weight-bearing bones in your foot, which work to absorb the repetitive stress that occurs during running, jumping, and walking. Common locations include the second and third metatarsal bones, the long thin bones between your toes and ankle, which is where you’re likely to first notice discomfort.
Since the initial signs of a stress fracture may be mild, it’s easy to ignore them or brush them off as an inconvenience. However, the more often you participate in the damaging activity without allowing time for the bone to heal, the more likely it is that the stress fracture can worsen and cause the following symptoms:
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Pain, aching, and tenderness that worsens during and after physical activity or movement
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Relief from pain during periods of rest
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Swelling on the ankle or top of your foot
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Bruising and swelling at the site of the stress fracture
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to get a medical evaluation to determine proper treatment and reduce the risk of further damage to the affected bone.
How stress fractures occur
Stress fractures don’t occur as the result of an injury or accident, but develop over time. The movements involved in high-impact sports, like running, basketball, tennis, and track and field, involve repetitive activities that are more likely to cause stress fractures.
You may be living with a stress fracture if you’ve made rapid changes in your activities without allowing time for proper conditioning. This can occur when you suddenly increase the frequency or number of days in which you participate in an activity or change from one type of activity to another.
Using a different exercise surface, like moving from a treadmill to outdoor running, can change the way you put weight on your foot and make you susceptible to stress fractures. Other practices, like using improper equipment or wearing ill-fitting footwear, can exert pressure in areas unable to support repetitive forces.
Certain physical factors can also increase your risk of developing a stress fracture. Being overweight or having medical conditions like osteoporosis can make your bones more vulnerable to added stress during repetitive movements.
What to do if you suspect a stress fracture
If you have symptoms common to a stress fracture, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis as early as possible. An imaging test, such as an X-ray, MRI, or bone scan, is required to accurately diagnose the location and extent of a stress fracture.
Without proper diagnosis and treatment, a stress fracture can worsen and become a full fracture, causing more intense pain and possible displacement of the affected bone. This can cause long-term damage or the need for surgical correction.
Treatment for a stress fracture usually involves steps to reduce the weight-bearing load on the affected foot. This typically requires allowing your bone time to heal by using the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Your podiatrist advises the appropriate use of pain medication to reduce discomfort and swelling. You may also have to use a walking boot, brace, or crutches to immobilize the affected bone and promote healing.
Find out more about stress fractures and whether you may be risking long-term damage by living with this condition. To schedule a consultation with a podiatrist at Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, call our office, or book an appointment at one of our four locations throughout the Chicagoland area.
A stress fracture of the foot is a tiny crack in one of the bones in your foot. It’s most commonly caused by overuse and usually not the result of falls or other accidents. In fact, you might not even realize you have a stress fracture until days after the injury occurs.
Often, stress fractures develop after intense athletic training or competition. They’re more common in the weight-bearing bones of the lower legs and feet.
Although the crack caused by a stress fracture is tiny, it’s important to get treatment for this injury. Ignoring a stress fracture can cause the fracture to become much worse. This, in turn, could lead to a full break of the affected bone.
What causes a stress fracture in the foot?
A stress fracture in the foot most often happens when you rapidly increase your activity level or the amount of time spent on your feet.
Typically, your bones adapt to changes in pressure or activity gradually. This process is called remodeling.
Remodeling causes some bone tissue to be destroyed and rebuilt to accommodate the new activity. For instance, this is part of the change your body undergoes when you begin a new fitness routine.
However, when change happens too rapidly, it can cause bone tissues to be destroyed faster than your body is able to replace them. This can leave your bones very fragile. When your bones are fragile, they are at a higher risk of a stress fracture.
Certain other factors can also increase your risk for a stress fracture, such as:
- having osteoporosis or other conditions that cause weakened bones
- sustaining a previous stress fracture
- playing high impact sports, such as tennis or basketball
- being involved in gymnastics or dance
- having high or rigid arches
- having flat feet
- frequently wearing ill-fitting, nonsupportive, or worn-out shoes
- moving from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one very suddenly or making any major shift in activity level
- having an irregular menstrual cycle
- having an eating disorder
- consuming a diet lacking in vitamin D and calcium
How do you know you have a stress fracture?
Stress fractures can be difficult to notice. It might take several days before you feel pain in your foot. The pain often decreases while you’re resting and gets worse when walking.
Symptoms of a stress fracture in the foot can include:
- a swollen foot
- a bruised foot
- a tender foot
- pain that feels worse when you walk, run, or stand for an extended time
- pain that eases at night or when you rest
Make an appointment to see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms, especially if it’s difficult to walk on your foot.
Although it might seem like a minor injury, it’s important to get treatment for a stress fracture. Ignoring a stress fracture could cause the break to become worse.
How is a stress fracture diagnosed?
A doctor will go over your symptoms and your medical history. They’ll also examine your foot for bruising, swelling, and tenderness. In most cases, they’ll order imaging tests of your foot.
Unlike standard breaks and fractures, stress fractures are often not visible on an X-ray. Instead of an X-ray, your doctor may order an MRI scan.
MRI scans use radio waves and magnets to create detailed images of the inside of your foot. A stress fracture is usually visible on an MRI. This test can help your doctor distinguish a stress fracture from other injuries.
How is a stress fracture in the foot treated?
The treatment plan for a stress fracture depends on the severity of the fracture.
You can treat some stress fractures can with rest and pain medications. More severe stress fractures may require surgery. You and your doctor can discuss which options are most appropriate for you.
Common treatments for stress fractures in the foot include:
- Rest: A doctor will typically advise you to avoid putting weight on your foot for 6 to 8 weeks while your stress fracture heals. Your doctor may give you a list of safe activities you can do during this time.
- Ice: Ice can help reduce swelling in your foot and relieve pain.
- Elevation: Elevating your foot at night and while sitting may minimize swelling and help drain excess fluid.
- Pain medication: To help manage pain, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). If your pain is more severe, your doctor may write you a prescription for stronger NSAIDs.
- Casting: Not all stress fractures of the foot require a cast, but some do. Casting can help keep your foot stable while the bone heals.
- Protective footwear: Protective footwear can reduce stress on your foot when you do need to stand or walk.
- Surgery: Most stress fractures heal without surgery. However, sometimes surgery is needed to support the bone and ensure proper healing. Typically, this involves placing medical screws or plates into the bone in your foot to hold it together.
Can you walk on a stress fracture?
It’s not a good idea to walk on a stress fracture. Walking and putting weight on a stress fracture in your foot can worsen the injury and possibly cause the bone to break completely.
Your doctor will let you know when it’s safe to resume your usual activities. If you try to take on too much before your injury is fully healed, you could re-injure yourself. It’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions for proper healing.
As you heal, you’ll be allowed to resume some types of activities. Once you’re able to walk, your doctor may recommend avoiding very long walks or not walking on very hard surfaces for a few more weeks.
In general, it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to heal a stress fracture of the foot. However, severe stress fractures can take much longer.
The bottom line
A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone caused by overuse. A stress fracture in the foot is a common injury among some types of athletes and people who start exercising too quickly after being inactive for a long time.
The bone crack caused by a stress fracture is so small that many people don’t notice it at first. It can take several days to start feeling the pain.
It’s important to get treatment for a stress fracture in the foot. Ignoring the injury can make it worse and could lead to a full break of the fractured bone.
Treatment often includes rest, ice, and medication to manage the pain. Surgery usually isn’t necessary, but it may be needed for severe fractures of the foot.
