Your podiatrist may place a tuning fork on the area where he or she thinks a stress fracture may be located. This will result in pain being noted at a very distinct location. Finally, if doubt still exists about the diagnosis, a bone scan may be obtained, which shows increased bone production if a stress fracture is present. This test is the most sensitive for detecting a stress fracture, but in clear cases may be unnecessary. In people at high risk for stress fractures, such as military personnel in basic training, normal x-rays do not change treatment plans and people are treated as if they do have a stress fracture.
Bone is a living, breathing tissue that also has large amounts of minerals that provide strength.
If there is not enough time for that adaptation to occur, small micro cracks develop. In severe cases, these small cracks can result in a complete displaced fracture if treatment is not initiated. Bone fractures are most commonly thought of as resulting from acute injuries that happen all at once. Stress fractures are another type of fracture that occurs gradually, from repeated injury, over use or stress, over longer periods of time. Stop whatever exercise you are doing that has resulted in your foot or ankle pain.