Stress fractures occur due to the repetitive jarring of a bone.
The most common sites for this type of fracture are the metatarsal bones in the feet, in the lumbar region of the spine, in the thigh bone which is the neck of the femur and in the lower leg bones known as the tibia or fibula. In most cases a stress fracture is considered a sports injury since most occur during sports related activities. This type of injury can be caused by chronic wear and tear that has resulted from repetitive motion that creates stress in susceptible tissues. It will also occur when an athlete is using a faulty training method or has structural abnormalities that stress certain parts of the body more than others. In some cases even a weakness of tendons, ligaments or muscles can account for sports injuries such as a stress fracture.