When pain from increased physical activity doesn’t go away in a couple of days, the cause could be a stress fracture. The March issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers these tiny, partial bone fractures, why they occur and how they are treated.
Unlike standard fractures caused by trauma, stress fractures don’t completely break through the bone. They typically feature one or more tiny cracks in the outer surface of the bone and are often related to an abrupt increase in the amount or intensity of physical activity. This type of stress fracture, called a fatigue fracture, can occur in normal, otherwise healthy bone. The most common locations for fatigue fractures are the weight-bearing bones of the middle foot (metatarsals) and the lower leg bones (tibia and fibula).
For older adults, weakening of the bones due to osteoporosis can contribute to a different type of stress fracture, called an insufficiency fracture. Instead of cracking during an abrupt increase in physical activity, bone cracks may occur lifting a bag of groceries or doing other everyday activities. The pelvis is a common location for an insufficiency fracture in older adults.
Regardless of the cause, the initial signs of a stress fracture often are subtle. At first, pain from stress fractures may be barely noticeable. Usually, the pain occurs when standing or during physical activity, but diminishes with rest. Without treatment, the pain with activity may continue to increase over time and even persist at rest.