Stress fractures are hairline cracks in the bone. This often follows as a result of shin-splints that have not been managed correctly or when patient tries to “run-through” the problem. A patient with a stress fracture usually experiences severe pain that does not always go away with rest. The pain often persists with walking and increases when walking up steps or during similar moderate activity. A patient with a stress fracture feels pain around the upper outside portion of the tibia. The patient commonly complains of pain at night. X-rays are often required to rule out a stress fracture. However, X-rays may not show a fracture line or a healing stress fracture until several weeks after injury, so a bone scan, CT scan or MRI may be used instead.