Stress fracture or just bruised?

[pippi-ne]

My 8 year old daughter has developed a sore spot on her foot on the side of the ball of her right foot. She can bend, wiggles toes etc., but feels pain when walking on her foot. Yesterday there was a pea size bruise at the location of pain. Today the bruise has virtually vanished, but the pain is still there. The pain got worse as today wore on. She cannot pinpoint when it started hurting. She had gymnastics practice last Monday and Tuesday, and did a lot of jumping rope in P.E. class throughout the week at school, but didn't complain about any pain until Saturday. Could she have suffered a stress fracture, or did she just bump something with her foot and not remember until it started to get sore? Thanks for your insight.

[Heidi]

It could be either to be honest. I would advise you give it a couple more days and if the pain doesn't start to ease then request an x-ray from your Doctor. This is the only way of knowing if there is a stree fracture. Although if there is a fracture there isn't really any treatment other than rest and maybe a cast dependent on the injury.

have a look here: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/foot/navicular_stress_fracture.htm

This could be the injured bone from where I think you are saying the pain is.