Stress fracture injuries cause persistent pain, most commonly in the shin, but at times in the foot, hip, thigh or pelvis. Causes and treatments for stress fractures are similar to the ones that apply to shin splint injuries. However, stress fractures are more severe than shin splints and require serious management. The best approaches to preventing stress fractures are proper training, proper shoe maintenance and not running on excessively hard surfaces. A physician should evaluate if you suspe