The diagnosis usually means no running for at least four to six weeks. A stress fracture is a crack that does not go completely through the bone. Initially called march fractures, they were first noted in the 19th century in Prussian soldiers who marched too far or too often. If the repeated strain is greater than the strength of the bone, then it will fracture. The most common site of a stress fracture in the lower body is the tibia or shin bone, followed by the metatarsals, the bones in the foot behind the toes.
Most stress fractures develop gradually.
The pain usually starts out over a large area along the shin bone, and is mainly noticed after a hard training session or race, or the morning after a long or difficult workout. Shin splints occur when the muscles pull away from their attachment site along the inside of the tibia. Stop running and see a sports medicine specialist. Left untreated, the muscles will continue to pull, and this may cause a crack to form in the bone. The pain will progress to the point where it is noticed more during the run, and become focused on a smaller area of the bone.