Stress Fractures

Definition: A stress fracture is one of the most common sports injuries. It is a type of overuse injury. When muscles are over worked in an activity, they become fatigued. As a result, they are not able to absorb shock as efficiently. Unabsorbed shock energy is transferred to the bone which eventually causes a small crack to develop. This crack is called a stress fracture.

Resting the affected extremity is the most important way to treat a stress fracture. It usually will take six to eight weeks for the bone to heal. After this time, it is essential to slowly return to physical activities in order to prevent reinjury to the bone.