It is very common to find otherwise healthy individuals to seek treatment for bone injury at orthopedic clinics. Though there are many kinds of orthopedic injuries, the stress fracture is the most common one. Let’s have a detailed introduction of the same.

As the name itself suggests, the root cause of the fracture is the stress, mainly the repetitive stress on the same joints over a period of time. In simple words, instead of having a big, severe injury at one go, the stress fracture caused due to repetitive impact of a minor injury over and over again.

Stress fracture starts with a very minute crack in the bone and that is why it is more commonly known as the hairline fracture.

The cause can be as simple as running, jumping or exercise. This kind of orthopedic injury is most common among athletes and sportsperson due to their routine workout and exercise sessions. Moreover, it is more prevalent on the weight bearing, which ensures the structure of the skeleton, bones such as the tibia, metatarsals, and navicular bones. However, rarely, it can be found in pelvis, sacrum, and femur as well.

The painful symptoms and side effects associated with stress fractures usually increases with activity level and usually resolves with rest. However, over a long period of time, the symptoms become long lasting and troublesome and needs a thorough treatment to cure it.

To diagnosis, the exact point of onset of a stress fracture is quite tricky. However, an x-ray can show the decay of bone after 3 weeks since the onset of sharp pain. Other diagnostic probes are namely CT scan, MRI, and 3 phase bone scan.

The treatment of stress fracture is offered at several orthopedic clinics all across India, however, it is important to consult the healthcare providers at an early stage itself to make the treatment most effective. Managing early symptoms is the best way to tackle a stress fracture as the advanced stage onsets the recovery time elongates significantly.

Medical probes such as walking boot or sticks are particularly helpful as they provide support to the fractured joints. Also, rehabilitation is recommended for those, who need help for muscle strengthening and walking support on a regular basis. Occasionally surgical approach becomes inevitable to address the fracture. It needs to be done under the supervision of a well-qualified orthopedics to ensure the patients recover entirely after the procedure.