A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone, or severe bruising within a bone, caused by repetitive force, often from overuse. Stress fractures are most common in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot, especially the metatarsal bones. They can also occur in the calcaneus (heel), fibula (the outer bone of the lower leg and ankle), talus (the lower bone in the ankle joint), sesamoids (two small bones associated with the tendons of the big toe), and the navicular (a bone on the top of the midfoot) .

Stress fractures are almost always overuse injuries, which means they happen when something puts too much pressure on a bone and the bone doesn’t have enough time to recover after physical activity. They often occur in people who suddenly shift from a sedentary lifestyle to an active training regimen or who rapidly increase the amount or intensity of an activity. Certain sports, such as track and field, basketball, tennis, dance, or gymnastics, can also increase the risk of stress fractures.

The most common symptom of a stress fracture in the foot or ankle is pain, which usually develops gradually and worsens during weight-bearing activity. The pain is often associated with physical activities throughout the day and diminishes during rest. Other symptoms may include swelling on the top of the foot or on the outside of the ankle, tenderness to touch at the site of the fracture, and possible bruising. If you have recently change...