Stress Fracture Feet
Article by Shane Armfield

What is a Stress Fracture?
Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone. They develop over some time and cause pain. The pain is quite distinctive, getting worse as you do more weight-bearing activities such as running or jumping. The foot is a common area for getting stress fractures, and several bones are at risk.
What Causes a Stress Fracture?
Stress fractures are caused by the repetitive application of force, often by overuse, repeatedly jumping up and down or running long distances.
Track and field athletes are particularly susceptible to stress fractures, but anyone can experience a stress fracture. If you have increased your weight-bearing exercise suddenly, you can be vulnerable to getting a stress fracture. It can be a debilitating problem that can stop you from doing any weight-bearing activity.
What is the Treatment for Stress Fractures Feet?
PHASE I – Pain Relief. Minimise Swelling & Injury Protection
Pain is the main reason that you seek treatment for a stress fracture. Analgesics may help. Ease your pain via ice therapy and techniques that de-load the inflamed structures. Anti-inflammatory medications may help.
Your physiotherapist will use an array of treatment tools to reduce your pain and inflammation. These include ice, electrotherapy, acupuncture, deloading taping techniques and soft tissue massage.
If the pain is terrible, your physiotherapist or doctor may advise you to use crutches or a walking boot.
PHASE II – Restoring Normal Weight Bearing
As your pain and inflammation settle, your physiotherapist will turn their attention to getting you back into exercise. This needs to be carefully managed as an uncontrolled increase in weight-bearing will exacerbate the stress fracture.
Treatment may include massage, muscle and joint stretches, taping, or the use of an orthotic. Your physiotherapist is an expert in the techniques that will work best for you.
PHASE III – Restore Normal Muscle Control & Strength
Your foot posture muscles are vital to correct the biomechanics that can lead to the increased stresses within your foot. Your physiotherapist will assess your foot posture muscles and prescribe the best exercises specific to your needs.
PhysioWorks has developed a “Foot Posture Correction Program” to help you regain your normal foot posture. Please ask your physio for their advice.
PHASE IV – Restoring Full Function
This stage of your rehabilitation is aimed at returning you to your desired activities. Everyone has different demands for their feet that will determine what specific treatment goals you need to achieve. For some, it is simply to walk around the block. Others may wish to run a marathon or return to a labour-intensive activity.
Your physiotherapist will tailor your rehabilitation to help you achieve your own functional goals.
PHASE V – Preventing a Recurrence
To prevent future stress fractures, your physiotherapist will talk to you about graded increases in exercise. You may also benefit from seeing our Dietitian advise you on good nutrition whilst training.
Your physiotherapist will guide you.
Common Foot Pain Causes
Foot Injuries
Tendon Injuries
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- FHL Tendinopathy
- Peroneal Tendinopathy
- Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy
Bone Injuries
- Ankle Fracture (Broken Ankle)
- Stress Fracture
- Stress Fracture Feet
- Severs Disease
- Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans
- Heel Spur
- Shin Splints
Traumatic Ankle Ligament Injuries
Degenerative Conditions
Soft Tissue Inflammation
Biomechanical Conditions
Nerve-Related Sources
Muscle Injuries
Systemic Conditions
General Information
Common Treatments For Foot Pain
With accurate assessment and early treatment, most foot pain responds extremely quickly to physiotherapy allowing you to quickly resume pain-free and normal activities of daily living.
Please ask your physiotherapist for their professional treatment advice.
Acute Treatment
- Early Injury Treatment
- Avoid the HARM Factors
- Walking Boot
- Brace or Support
- Electrotherapy & Local Modalities
Subacute Treatment Options
- Acupuncture and Dry Needling
- Joint Mobilisation Techniques
- Physiotherapy Instrument Mobilisation (PIM)
Other Treatment Options
- Active Foot Posture Correction Exercises
- Strength Exercises
- Stretching Exercises
- Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises
- Neurodynamics
- Gait Analysis
- Running Analysis
- Video Analysis
- Biomechanical Analysis
- Agility & Sport-Specific Exercises
Balance Improvement
Article by John Miller
Common Youth Leg Injuries
Why are Children's Injuries Different to Adults?
Adolescent Leg Injuries
Adolescent injuries differ from adult injuries, mainly because the bones are still growing. The growth plates (physis) are cartilaginous (strong connective tissue) areas from which the bones elongate or enlarge. Repetitive stress or sudden large forces can cause injury to these areas.
In the adolescent leg, common injuries include:
Osgood-Schlatter's Disease
Pain at the bump just below the knee cap (tibia tubercle). Overuse injuries commonly occur here. The tibia tubercle is the anchor point of your mighty quadriceps (thigh) muscles. Because of excessive participation in running and jumping sports, the tendon pulls bone off and forms a painful lump that will remain forever. This type of injury responds to reduced activity and physiotherapy.
More info: Osgood Schlatter's Disease
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Disease
Pain at the lower pole of the knee cap (patella). Overstraining causes Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease. Because of excessive participation in running and jumping sports, the tendon pulls bone off the knee cap. This type of injury responds to reduced activity and physiotherapy.
More info:Â Sinding Larsen Johansson Syndrome
Anterior Knee Pain
Anterior knee pain or patellofemoral syndrome frequently gets passed off as growing pains. Cause of this pain includes overuse, muscle imbalance, poor flexibility, poor alignment, or more commonly, a combination of these. Anterior knee pain is one of the most challenging adolescent knee injuries to sort out and treat. Accurate diagnosis and treatment with the assistance of a physiotherapist with a particular interest in this problem usually resolves the condition quickly.
More info:Â Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Knee Ligaments
The cartilage between the leg bones has a better blood supply and is more elastic in adolescents than adults. As adolescents near the end of bone growth, their injuries become more adult-like. Hence more meniscal and ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries are likely. MCL (medial collateral ligament) injuries result from a lateral blow to the knee. Pain felt on the inner side (medially) of the knee. MCL injuries respond well to protective bracing and conservative treatment.
More info:Â Knee Ligament Injuries
ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Injuries
This traumatic knee injury is significant. Non-contact injuries of the ACL are becoming more common than contact injuries of the ACL. Adolescent females are at high risk. Combination injuries with MCL or menisci are common. Surgical reconstruction is needed if the adolescent wishes to continue participating in "stop-and-start" sports.
More info:Â ACL Injury
Meniscal Injuries
Your meniscus is crescent-shaped cartilage between the thigh (femur) and lower leg (tibia). Meniscal injuries usually result from twisting. Swelling, catching, and locking of the knee are common. If physiotherapy treatment does not resolve these damages within six weeks, they may require arthroscopic surgery.
More info:Â Meniscus Tear, Discoid Meniscus
Sever's Disease
Heel pain is commonplace in young adolescents due to the stresses of their Achilles tendon pulling upon its bony insertion point on the heel (calcaneum). It is a common overuse injury due to excessive training and competition, particularly when loads are increased dramatically in a short period. Diminished flexibility and muscle-tendon strength mismatching may predispose you. Physiotherapy, reduced activity, taping and orthotics are the best ways to manage this debilitating condition for the active young athlete.
More info:Â Sever's Disease
Ankle Sprain
An ankle sprain is probably the most common injury seen in sports. Ankles sprains involve stretching of the ligaments and usually occur when the foot twists inward. Treatment includes active rest, ice, compression and physiotherapy rehabilitation. With the correct treatment, a low ankle sprain usually improves in two to six weeks. Your ankle physiotherapist should check even simple ankle sprains to eliminate high-ankle sprains. A residually stiff ankle post-sprain can predispose you to several other lower limb issues.
More info:Â Sprained Ankle
Patellar Instability
Patellar (kneecap) instability can range from partial dislocation (subluxation) to dislocation with a fracture. Partial dislocation treatment is conservative. Dislocation with or without fracture is a much more severe injury and usually will require surgery.
More info:Â Patella Dislocation
Osteochondritis Dissecans
The separation of a bone from its bed in the knee joint is Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD). This injury is usually due to one major macro event with repetitive macro trauma that prevents complete healing. This injury is potentially severe. Treatment varies from rest to surgery. An Orthopaedic Surgeon's opinion is vital.
More info: Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans (JOCD)
Growth Plate Fractures
A fracture through the growth plate can be a severe injury that can stop the bone from growing correctly. These fractures should be treated by an Orthopaedic Surgeon, as some will require surgery.
Avulsion Fractures
Image source: https://radiologyassistant.nl/pediatrics/hip/hip-pathology-in-children
An avulsion fracture occurs when a small segment of bone attached to a tendon or ligament gets pulled away from the main bone. The hip, elbow, and ankle are the most common locations for lower limb avulsion fractures in young sportspeople.
Treatment of an avulsion fracture typically includes active rest, ice and protecting the affected area. This active rest period is followed by controlled exercises that help restore range of motion, improve muscle strength and promote bone healing. Your physiotherapist should supervise your post-avulsion exercises. Most avulsion fractures heal very well. You may need to spend a few weeks on crutches if you have an avulsion fracture around your hip. An avulsion fracture to your foot or ankle may require a cast or walking boot.
An excessive gap between the avulsed bone fragment and main bone may not rejoin naturally in rare cases. Surgery may be necessary to reunite them. In children, avulsion fractures that involve the growth plates also might require surgery. All avulsion fractures should be reviewed and managed by your trusted physiotherapist or an Orthopaedic Surgeon.
For more information regarding your youth sports injury, please consult your physiotherapist or doctor.
Youth Leg Injuries
Pelvis & Hip
Knee
- Osgood Schlatter's Disease
- Sinding Larsen Johannson Disease
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- Patella Dislocation
- Meniscus Tear
- Discoid Meniscus
- ACL
- Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans
Heel & Ankle
Common Youth & Teenager Sports Injuries
Common Stress Fracture Related Conditions
General Info
Spinal Stress Fractures
- Spondylolysis (Back Stress Fracture)
- Lumbar Stress Fractures (Cricket Fast Bowlers)
- Rib Stress Fracture