If you’ve been doing a lot of repetitive physical activity that puts a strain on your bones, especially the smaller ones in your body, you could experience a stress fracture. This type of fracture is typically very small and is often caused by repeatedly using the same areas of the body. This type of injury could develop if you’ve been spending a lot of time hiking or running in some of Arizona’s breathtaking parks, but it could also happen at work if you’re a delivery driver, a postal carrier, or even a loader. You might not notice you have a fracture until you notice one of these common symptoms.

Pain and tenderness

One of the common signs of repetitive stress injuries is pain and tenderness that are often localized near the fracture. The pain that you experience could worsen with physical activity, especially standing or sudden movements. A few ways to help relieve the pain include medications and applying heat or ice to the impacted area. Weakness can be associated with the pain and tenderness that you experience, which can sometimes result in more damage to the bone if you try to use the area that’s impacted.

Swelling

Another sign of a stress fracture is swelling. This can become noticeable as soon as the damage to the bone occurs or over time as you continue using the area that’s injured. The swelling could increase to the point that it’s difficult to put your shoes on or perform some of the routine activities that you do during the day. Bruising is a common symptom associated with a stress fracture as well. This can sometimes occur before the swelling and can sometimes extend along the outer edges of where the fracture is located.

Although stress fractures are common, you might not notice some of the symptoms associated with them until they clearly appear. If you think that you may have a stress fracture, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention.