A metatarsal stress fracture is basically a small crack that has occurred at the metatarsal bone. The bone is located in your foot and a fracture could result from severe bruising in this bone. These stress fractures normally happen because of repeated activity and overuse of that part of the body. In most cases you would see athletes and runners suffering from such fractures, especially those who take part in sports where a lot of running is required such as basketball or football. When else may they happen? Stress fractures also occur whenever you change your activity pattern. It could be that you are trying a new exercise or it may also happen that you have increased the intensity of your exercises all of a sudden. It could be that you have changed the surface on which you had been doing your workouts "“ maybe previously you were jogging on the treadmill but now you are doing it outdoors. These fractures could also happen if your bones have been weakened by diseases such as osteoporosis. In such cases, even regular and everyday work may be sufficient to damage your bones. Vu