We at Podiatry Center of New Jersey are here to warn you… that nagging ache in your foot that seems to get worse with every workout might be more than just muscle soreness. It could be a stress fracture— the subtle, sneaky, ultimate precursor to a full-on, season-ending break. We don’t want you to get to that point, so let’s explore what stress fractures in the foot are and how you can notice them.

How Stress Fractures Occur in the Foot

Our bones are living tissue, and they’re constantly remodeling themselves. Breaking down old bone. Building new bone.

But a stress fracture is when that bone is broken more than it can repair itself. Athletes, we’re talking to you. So it’s essentially a fatigue injury where a bone simply can’t keep up with the demands being placed on it.

Several factors often combine to cause this overload:

The biggest culprit is a sudden increase in activity—going from a sedentary lifestyle to an intense exercise routine, or rapidly increasing your running mileage too quickly.

Improper footwear is also a major contributor; assume worn-out shoes that have lost their cushioning will always fail to absorb impact.

Similarly, training on hard, unforgiving surfaces like concrete, or having a foot structure like a very rigid high arch that’s a poor shock absorber, can also contribute.

Even nutritional deficiencies or low bone density can make bones more vulnerable.

Foot Stress Fracture Symptoms

In short, you’ll feel pain that’s localized to a specific spot on the bone. It’s not a soreness that radiates throughout the whole foot.

This pinpoint pain will get worse with activity and improve with rest. For example, a runner might notice a dull ache that begins a few miles into their run but goes away completely when they stop. But as the stress fracture progresses, the pain can eventually occur even during normal daily walking or at rest, and might even be bad enough to keep you up at night.

Why You Shouldn’t Avoid Stress Fractures

Because the initial pain is subtle and easy to dismiss. But if you ignore it and continue to train, the small crack can worsen and lead to a complete bone break, which is much more involved (and painful).

Beyond an outright fracture, the pain from a stress fracture often forces you to change the way you walk or run to compensate. And if you start walking weirdly, you start to put extra stress on other parts of your foot to compensate.

For example, trying to avoid pain in one bone can lead to Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, or even another stress fracture in a different bone that’s now carrying an excessive load.

If you have more questions about foot care or want to address specific concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to the expert team at Podiatry Center of New Jersey! Give us a call at (973) 925-4111 or make an appointment online.