Stress fractures

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Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

You're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner, but if you're a competitive athlete, you might go directly to an orthopedic surgeon or other physician who is a specialist in musculoskeletal problems. The doctor will want to know:

  • When your symptoms started
  • What pattern your symptoms occur in — at certain times, during or after certain activities or continuously
  • What sports and activities you normally do, and whether a change in your routine coincided with the start of your symptoms
References
  1. Stress fractures of the foot and ankle. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00379&return_link=0. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
  2. Killie H, et al. Overview of stress fractures. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
  3. Zetaruk M, et al. Leg injuries. In: Frontera WR. Clinical Sports Medicine Management and Rehabilitation. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/110217197-3/0/1717/1.html?tocnode=55568581&fromURL=1.html. Accessed Nov. 13, 2008.
  4. Fields KB, et al. Stress fractures of the tibia and fibula. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.
  5. Clugston JR, et al. Stress fractures of the metatarsal shaft. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2008.

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Nov. 22, 2008

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