The Foot
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A stress fracture is caused by repetitive or unusual loading of a bone leading to mechanical failure. Fatigue type stress fractures occur in normal bone exposed to abnormally high repetitive loads, whereas insufficiency type stress fractures occur in abnormal bone exposed to normal loads. ⋯ The diagnosis and management of these cases are discussed. Stress fractures should be included in the differential diagnosis of any patient who continues or develops pain after surgery to the forefoot.