Foot Care Library | Stress | BunionBusters.com

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Metatarsal Stress Fracture


	What is a Stress Fracture? A stress fracture is a break in a bone cause by repetitive stress. It may occur in any bone, but is quite common in the metatarsal bones of the foot. There is often no recollection of injury.
	Causes


	Decreased density of the bones (eg. osteoporosis)



	Unusual stress on a metatarsal due to malposition or another forefoot deformity (eg. bunion)



	Abnormal foot structure or mechanics (eg. flatfoot)



	Increased levels of activity, especially without proper conditioning



	Obesity



	Symptoms


	Sharp pain in the forefoot, aggravated by walking



	Tenderness to pressure on the top surface of a metatarsal bone



	Diffuse swelling of the skin over the forefoot



	The patient may simply develop a painful forefoot after some activity, such a walking, sports, or stooping down onto the ball of the foot. A small crack develops in the cortex (outer shell) of the bone. Without proper treatment, this may progress to a "through and through" overt fracture of the bone. The second and third metatarsals are the most commonly affected. Metatarsal stress fracture may not become apparent on x-rays until a few weeks after the injury.




	What You Can Do Seek professional help as soon as possible Keep weight off the foot Ice the top surface of the forefoot for about 20 minuets every hour To reduce swelling, wrap the foot in a tensor bandage with moderate compression Wear a shoe with a very stiff sole


	What the Doctor May Do Take x-rays to look for fracture Order special diagnostic bone scans to establish a questionable diagnosis Apply orthopedic taping and padding to relieve stress from the metatarsals Dispense a surgical/trauma shoe to splint the foot Prescribe medication for pain and inflammation Use physical therapy in the later stages of healing Occasionally a plaster cast is necessary


	Other Causes of Foot Pain Morton's neuroma (benign tumor of a nerve running between the metatarsals) Metatarsalgia (painful and inflammation of the metatarsal bones and their soft tissue sheath) Capsulitis (painful and inflammation of the joints between the metatarsal bones and toes) Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons which course along the top of the foot) Dislocation of a joint between a metatarsal and a toe metatarsal-phalangeal joint Severe plantar callus (callus on bottom of the foot) or bursitis (an inflamed fluid-filled sac often between a bone and an area of pressure)

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