2. Tenderness
If too much force is placed on a bone, it can cause it to break. Stress fractures are caused by repetitive motions such as those encountered in professional sports or work-related situations. When a stress fracture occurs, it can cause the area where the break occurred to become incredibly tender. In most cases, the nerves, blood vessels, joints, and muscles in the surrounding area are also affected. Tenderness is a typical symptom that occurs when the surrounding tissues are damaged.
Stress fractures can cause bruising and swelling which will more significantly increase the amount of tenderness near the injury. The bones in your body are also surrounded by nerve endings. These nerves get irritated when a bone breaks and can cause tenderness until the wound heals. Stress fractures are not always obvious like other bone breaks. Sometimes, you may not realize your bone is fractured until you encounter tenderness around the injury site.