Stress Fracture Specialist

What are stress fractures?

Stress fractures are hairline cracks within your bones. They’re typically caused by repetitive motion over time. Your lower body, particularly your feet and ankles, are the most common areas for stress fractures because these particular bones have to support your whole body when you stand, walk, and run. 

What should I do if I suspect a stress fracture?

If you suspect a stress fracture, reach out to the Garden State Foot & Ankle Specialists team right away for guidance. In the meantime, implement the RICE protocol: 

• Rest - get off your feet
• Ice - apply an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling
• Compression - lightly wrap your stress fracture with an elastic bandage
• Elevation - elevate your stress fracture

If you avoid worsening the injury and get care quickly, you have a very good chance of a full recovery. 

How are stress fractures diagnosed?

The Garden State Foot & Ankle Specialists team diagnoses stress fractures after considering your symptoms, reviewing your medical history, and conducting a physical exam. You may need to demonstrate certain movements so your podiatrist can assess the damage. Often, imaging tests such as X-rays or ultrasound confirm a stress fracture diagnosis.

What is the best way to heal stress fractures? 

Treatment depends on how serious your stress fracture is. The Garden State Foot & Ankle Specialists team may recommend some of the following noninvasive solutions.

• Modifying your activity until your stress fracture heals
• Changing to more protective, better-fitting footwear
• Casting your foot or ankle
• Padding to cushion the stress fracture
• Custom orthotics to correct your gait 

It’s unlikely that you’ll need surgery for a stress fracture if you get treatment quickly. But, if your stress fracture doesn’t heal, it can become a more severe problem that requires surgical correction like pins, screws, and metal plate implantation.

How can I avoid stress fractures in the future?

While you can't always avoid repetitive motion, you can take some extra precautions, such as wearing proper protective gear when exercising and wearing supportive footwear at all times. 

If you experience pain while exercising, for example, shin splints in your lower leg, it's important to stop and rest right away. Shin splints happen when your muscles partially detach from the tibia (shin bone). If you keep exercising with shin splints, you run the risk of stress fractures in your tibia.

Click the online booking tool or call the Garden State Foot & Ankle Specialists team to get stress fracture help now.