A stress fracture is a very small sliver or crack in a bone. Most often these occur in weight-bearing bones of the feet, legs and hips with the most common being in the tibia. Stress fractures are a result of microdamage to the bone combined with an inability of the body to replace the bone as fast as it is lost.

Female runners are more likely than males to get stress fractures, largely because they have less muscle mass and smaller bone circumference on average, both of which are key to avoiding such injuries. An inadequate diet in terms of calcium, vitamin c, or calories can raise the chances of such injuries, so those that suffer from anorexia are particularly susceptible.

External Links

• Stress Fractures in Female Athletes (http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/979332792.html)