Early last year China’s “Great Wall of Basketball” NBA player Yao Ming missed the rest of last season’s NBA games due to a fatigue fracture in his left foot, and some media even questioned whether he could successfully participate in the Beijing Olympics at the time. Later, the famous Chinese female volleyball player Zhao Rui Rui, who also suffered from fatigue fracture, just came back after a 1400-day layoff. This is all the fault of fatigue fracture. In fact, fatigue fractures are not the exclusive preserve of athletes. Also for those who like to work out and travel, stress fractures can also occur if you exercise improperly and unscientifically. So what is a fatigue fracture? How to prevent it? Fatigue fractures, also known as stress fractures, were first mentioned in the Prussian army in 1855, when they occurred in the metatarsals of recruits and were called “marching fractures”. It is caused by tension and bruising of the calf muscles and traction of the periosteum attached to the muscles, stimulating the periosteum and causing plasma inflammation. 80% of these fractures occur in the foot. Fatigue fractures are very likely to occur as a result of excessive exercise during physical exercise, especially if the prolonged high intensity exceeds the physiological capacity of the exerciser. Fatigue fractures occur in the second metatarsal and ribs, and occasionally in the fibular tibia, third or fourth metatarsal. Fatigue fractures are caused by muscle fatigue and reduced muscle contraction, which makes it difficult to withstand the stresses placed on the bones during exercise, such as changes in bone tissue structure due to the dual effects of prolonged repetitive stress and excessive loading. If the athlete only rests for a short period of time after a fatigue fracture and continues to play long and strenuous sports, the fracture is not adequately repaired and there is a fracture – repair – –re-fracture –re-repair such a repeated process. During this process, the blood vessels in the bone are repeatedly damaged, forming tiny blood clots, and the scope of the clots is expanding, and when it reaches a certain level, it will cause local bone tissue ischemia and necrosis. Because of the slow onset of fatigue fracture, it is not as easy to detect and treat in time as acute fracture. In general, pain is initially felt only at the fracture site. It gradually worsens with the passage of time. On physical examination, pressure pain is evident at the fracture site, and bony masses can be palpated at the painful site; X-ray examination helps in the diagnosis. The principles of treatment for fatigue fractures are the same as for acute fresh fractures. Attention should also be paid to the removal of the cause of the disease. For example, for fatigue fractures of the metatarsal bone, in addition to braking with a plaster boot and walking with a cane for 5-6 weeks, training should be stopped to promote fracture healing. After healing, training should also be resumed gradually. Prevention of fatigue fractures is important. Athletes should avoid overtraining and rest properly to decompress the bones. It is also beneficial to maintain good health. Fitness enthusiasts should avoid excessive exercise, especially long, high-intensity exercise, exercise beyond the physiological capacity of the exerciser, especially adolescents whose bones are growing and developing, as well as middle-aged and elderly people whose bones are becoming lax. Travel enthusiasts are best to make multi-way travel, avoid long-distance trekking . Do not walk long distances for a short time and avoid walking on rugged mountain roads. Long-distance travel, the journey must be appropriate rest, and do foot massage. Soak your feet with warm water at night, apply blood-activating drugs externally, and elevate your feet during sleep to promote blood circulation. In addition, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and ensure adequate calcium intake in daily life. All these help us to keep away from fatigue fractures.