[Rib stress fractures in rowers: three case reports and review of literature]

Rib stress fractures with an occurrence rate of between 2 and 12% of all other overuse injuries of rowers are the cause of the most time lost from on-water training and competition. As the rib stress fractures are very infrequent in the general population, of otmost importance is to think about such possibility in case of rib cage pain in athlete without a history of trauma. That is why we present our three cases of rowers in whom we suspected the existence of rib stress fractures. The review of the literature related to rib stress fractures in rowers with the newest knowledge of etiology, clinical picture, diagnostics, differential diagnosis and treatment of stress fractures is reported.