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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
09:32
Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion
Published on: April 11, 2018
Stress fractures in athletes
Michael Fredericson1, Fabio Jennings, Christopher Beaulieu
1Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5336, USA. michael.fredericson@stanford.edu
Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging : TMRI
|April 7, 2007
Summary
Stress fractures, common in athletes like runners, are bone injuries from repetitive stress. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a sensitive and specific method for diagnosing these often subtle fractures.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
Background:
- Stress fractures are bone injuries caused by repetitive, sub-maximal loading, frequently affecting athletes, particularly runners.
- Incidence ranges from 0.7% to 20% of sports medicine injuries, with track-and-field athletes showing the highest rates.
- Common sites include the tibia, metatarsals, and fibula, though variations exist across different sports and activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diagnosis and management of stress fractures.
- To highlight the role of imaging in identifying these injuries.
- To emphasize the advantages of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for stress fracture detection.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on stress fractures and their diagnosis.
- Discussion of various imaging modalities, including plain radiography, radionuclide bone scanning, and MRI.
- Focus on the diagnostic capabilities of MRI for bone marrow edema, periosteal reactions, and subtle fractures.
Main Results:
- Plain radiography has low sensitivity for stress fractures.
- Radionuclide bone scanning is sensitive but lacks specificity.
- MRI provides high sensitivity and specificity for detecting bone marrow edema, periosteal reactions, and fracture lines.
Conclusions:
- Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing stress fractures.
- MRI is a highly effective imaging technique for the sensitive and specific evaluation of stress fractures.
- Understanding injury patterns across different sports aids in prevention and management strategies.
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