How Do Stress Fractures In The Foot Start?

If your foot’s been hurting lately, you might wonder if it is a fracture; but how do stress fractures in the foot start? A stress fracture can be caused by a couple of different lifestyle and medical factors. Though very painful, they are not a full-on break of the bone, and don’t feel exactly like a break. Thus, people often try to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that results from a stress fracture in the foot. Use the following information to determine whether you have a stress fracture, and how it may have been caused.

1. Stress fractures in the foot are usually caused by too much use. This is the reason why athletes, especially aerobic ones, experience this type of fracture so often.  When you run, your foot hits the ground with a lot of force thousands of times. Eventually, the muscles in your foot become week, and they are no longer able to absorb the shock of each foot impact. This, in turn, leads to tiny cracks in the bone of your foot – also known as a stress fracture.
2. Other causes, not related to athletics, do exist. Those with medical conditions such as osteoporosis and bone damage experience a higher rate of stress fractures. Their muscles, though not necessarily weakened by athletics, cannot naturally absorb enough of the shock from walking to protect from bone damage.
3. There are a few key symptoms that identify stress fractures in the foot. The pain from a stress fracture, though often bearable, tends to increase when doing everyday activities. While resting, though, it subsides relatively quickly. A stress fracture will usually be painful to the touch, and sometimes will bruise.
4. Dealing with a stress fracture in the foot is relatively easy. Simple treatments will help you recover from a stress fracture as fast as possible. The first, of course, is to rest. Trying to tough it out and continuing to put pressure on the bones in your foot can lead to more serious injuries including a broken bone. A doctor will usually recommend some kind of protective shoe or cast. Be sure to use it as prescribed. If the stress fracture in your foot is very severe, minor surgery may be necessary. But as irritating as the recovery time is, it will be well worth a healthy foot in the future.