STRESS FRACTURES

SUMMARY

1. Intrinsic risk factors include poor dietary habits, altered menstrual status, and abnormal biomechanics that do not allow for proper distribution of forces along the kinetic chain (pes cavus, pes planus, limb length discrepancy)

2. Extrinsic factors include hard training surfaces, training errors, increased intensity, improper footwear and insoles.

3. Female athlete triad - disordered eating, amenorrhea, & low bone density.

4. Plain films are relatively insensitive and detect < 50% of stress fractures. MRI is the inx of choice.

5. Most stress fractures heal without complication with activity modification, and allow return to sport in 4 to 8 weeks.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].