Stress Fracture: A stress fracture is an overuse injury of the bone. Typically, stress fractures occur in the leg, hip, foot, or pelvis. Causes of stress fractures include overuse injuries, osteoporosis, falls, medications, muscle weakness, and obesity. The treatment of a stress fracture depends on the cause.
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Arch Pain
Arch pain can occur whenever something goes wrong with the function or interaction of the structures in the foot. Causes include injury (trauma), sprains, muscle strains, poor biomechanical alignment, stress fractures, overuse, or the tightness or lack of tightness of the joints in the foot. Symptoms are pain and tenderness. Home treatment includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), and over-the-counter pain medications. Physical therapy, new shoes, orthotics or insoles may be recommended. -
Broken Foot
Broken bones (also called fractures) in the foot are very common. A fracture of the foot is caused by trauma to the bones of the foot from accidents or repeated stress on the foot bones. The most common symptom of a broken foot is pain. Other symptoms include bruising or redness, deformity of the toes, and the inability to walk on the affected foot. -
Broken Leg
The leg has four bones that may fracture (break) from an injury, traumatic injury, or diseases of the bone such as tumors, cysts, and arthritis. Symptoms of a broken leg include pain and possibly deformity in the leg at the fracture site. Bones of the leg that fracture require medical care. -
Broken Shoulder Blade
A broken shoulder blade (fractured scapula) is often a serious injury that requires medical treatment. Causes of a broken shoulder blade include sports injuries or trauma (car accidents). Treatment for a broken shoulder blade depends on the portion of the bone that is fractured and any other injuries sustained with the broken shoulder blade. -
Broken Toe
Broken toes are a common injury. Signs and symptoms of a broken toe may include pain, swelling, stiffness, bruising, deformity, and subungual hematoma. Treatment depends upon the severity of the fracture. There are home remedies to help ease pain and swelling of a broken toe. Medical treatment for a broken toe includes pain medication, buddy taping, casting, or booting. -
Hip Pain
There are many causes of hip pain, such as arthritis, trauma, strains, sprains, and other conditions that cause referred hip pain. Hip pain can be sharp, sudden, gradual, or may come and go. Diagnosis and treatment of hip pain will depend upon the cause. -
Leg Pain
There are a variety of causes of leg pain. Some of the common causes include fractures, strains, sprains, bleeding, diseases such as gout, peripheral artery disease, and cancer. Leg pain can also be caused by blood clots, sciatica, neuropathy, joint pain, muscle injury, and skin abnormalities. Treatment of leg pain depends on the cause. -
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to lose calcium and mass making them fragile, affects mostly post-menopausal women. Medications are available to slow or help prevent this process, including estrogen replacement therapy. It is possible to slow or even reverse osteoporosis, but often it becomes disabling.
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Stress Fracture Topic Guide - Visuals
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Stress Fracture Topic Guide - Medications and Vitamins
Medications:
IbuprofenIbuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Ibuprofen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body...learn more »
Stress Fracture Topic Guide – Related Topics
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Knee Pain Overview
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Wilderness: Fractures or Dislocations
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Osteoporosis FAQs
Osteoporosis (or porous bone) is a disease in which bone loss occurs, so bones become weak and are more likely to break. This FAQ includes information about tre...learn more »
