Contribution of bone mineral density in stress fractures of elite athletes

The stress fracture occurs in a healthy bone with a lack of adaptation to sustained, intensive and repetitive physical activity. However, bone mineral density is strongly correlated with bone strength and fractures may occur more easily on osteoporotic bone.

To evaluate the bone densitometric profile of elite athletes with a history of stress fracture and to determine the interest in preventing this type of fracture.

cross-sectional study comparing a group of elite athletes to a control group matched by sex, age and sports discipline. Bone mineral density is measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Our study involved 10 elite athletes with a mean age of 20.3 years and a history of stress fracture, compared to a population of 8 controls practicing the same sport with the same training volume per week. The diagnosis of clinically suspected stress fracture is confirmed in all cases by bone scintigraphy. Osteopenia is diagnosed in one patient while osteoporosis is found in one of the controls. No significant difference was found between the 2 mean bone densities (at the lumbar spine and proximal femur) among the 2 groups.

bone densitometry does not seem to be, according to our study, a relevant tool in preventing stress fractures in elite athletes.