A stress fracture is an injury that occurs from the overuse of muscles around a bony structure. When these muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb the added shock, it will transfer the stress overload to the associated bone, leading to a tiny crack called a stress fracture.
Weight bearing bones of the lower leg and the foot are most commonly affected from stress fractures.
Causes of stress fracture:
Stress fractures often occur due to any of the following reasons:
Risk activities that make athletes most susceptible to stress fractures
Sportspersons involved in the following activities are at higher risk of developing stress fractures:
All the sportsperson (especially females) are therefore advised to take sufficient rest between workouts or competitions to avoid any kind of stress fracture.
While most of the stress fractures heal on their own with rest for 6-8 weeks from the activity and sports, they can recur if the activity is resumed too quickly and harshly. In addition to rest, following may also help in the healing of fracture:
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