STRESS FRACTURES

Course overview

STRESS FRACTURES OCCUR WHEN BONE, TYPICALLY IN THE LOWER EXTREMITIES, IS SUBJECTED TO REPEATED MECHANICAL STRESS THAT RESULTS IN MICROSCOPIC FRACTURES. THEY OFTEN OCCUR WHEN THE FREQUENCY OR DEGREE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED; THEREFORE, STRESS FRACTURES ARE COMMONLY SEEN AMONG MILITARY RECRUITS, ATHLETES, AND RUNNERS. STRESS FRACTURES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS A FATIGUE REACTION STRESS FRACTURE OR AN INSUFFICIENCY REACTION STRESS FRACTURE. FATIGUE REACTION STRESS FRACTURES RESULT FROM REPETITIVE AND EXCESSIVE STRAIN PLACED ON STRUCTURALLY NORMAL BONE, SPECIFICALLY LOADING, EXCEEDS THE PROCESS OF REMODELING. WHEREAS FATIGUE REACTION STRESS FRACTURES OCCUR WHEN NORMAL STRESS AND STRAINING ARE APPLIED TO A BONE WHERE BONE FORMATION IS IMPAIRED. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF STRESS FRACTURES AND EMPHASIZES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.