Treatment of Stress Fractures

Stress fractures and soft tissue overuse injuries are common among endurance athletes. They are not a single consistent injury. They occur along a spectrum of severity which can impact treatment and prognosis. When treating overuse injuries, it should be borne in mind that no two stress fractures behave exactly alike. Treatment protocols should be individualized to the patient or athlete, the causative activity, the anatomical site, and the severity of the injury. As athletes become more competitive and focus solely on one sport, the incidence of stress fractures and other overuse injuries has continued to increase. A wholistic approach to the treatment of these injuries should be taken by orthopedists and sports medicine specialists in order to obtain optimal outcomes and minimize loss of fitness and time away from sports participation.