Types and Symptoms of Stress Fractures
Stress fractures occur mostly in weight-bearing bones in your lower body. These are the bones that support the weight of your body when you are standing or moving. Here are parts of the body you are likely to experience stress fracture:
- Foot, especially your metatarsals that connect your ankle and heel to your toes
- Lower legs, your fibula and tibia
- Heel
There are less common but stress fractures can also affect bones in your:
- Hips
- Lower back, lumbar spine
- Hands and wrists
Stress fractures are common injuries for athletes and people who do physical work. Experts estimate that stress fractures make up around 20% of all sports injuries.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of stress fracture:
- Pain that persists even after stopping the activity
- Pain that starts and worsens during physical activity
- Pain that is more apparent when you are resting
- Tenderness to even a light touch on or near your affected bone
- Swelling
Most persons who have a stress fracture report that their pain subsides after they cease exercising. However, the location of the stress fracture may determine whether you experience pain constantly. Since stress fractures are more common in the lower limbs, especially the feet, walking or standing with weight on the injured bone usually exacerbates the discomfort.
Pain that is concentrated (localized) in one area close to the fracture is most likely to occur. For instance, if you have a stress fracture in your foot, the area around the broken bone will be the most sensitive and painful. Your entire foot may feel.