![]() ![]() They are classified as “noncritical” because they heal well with the athlete usually returning to sports within six to eight weeks.Ĭritical stress fractures are those that do not heal well and continue to have a nonunion of the bones even after the recommended period of rest. Noncritical fractures are typically located in the medial tibia and the fibula. Stress fractures are generally classified as either non-critical or critical. What are the classifications of stress fractures? Stress fractures are seen in athletes in these sports because of the amount of jumping and/or running involved, the surfaces that the athletes compete on, and the types of shoes worn. Stress fractures of the tibia and/or fibula can also be seen in athletes in the sports of basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, and softball. The sport with the highest incidence of lower extremity stress fractures is track and field, specifically the distance runners. However, if left undiagnosed and untreated, athletes with stress fractures may run the risk of transitioning from a partial stress fracture into an acute fracture.Īthletes in a number of sports may have a higher risk for lower extremity stress fractures because of the amount of running and/or jumping required for their sport. Unlike most acute fractures in which the fracture is all of the way through the bone with an immediate onset of pain and associated functional disability, an athlete with a stress fracture may not know they have a fracture.Īlthough painful, some athletes may continue to participate with a stress fracture believing that the pain they are feeling is related to a muscle and/or tendon injury rather than to a bone injury. Stress fractures are unique in that the bone breaks down over time causing a small partial fracture within the bone. Most fractures have an acute onset meaning that there was one mechanism of injury that caused the fracture. According to Bahl and Maehlum (2004), up to 50% of all stress fractures occur in the tibia (shin) or fibula (two bones of the lower leg).Ī stress fracture is a partial fracture in a bone that is caused by repetitive loading over time. Lower extremity stress fractures are common injuries in the world of sports especially in athletes whose sports require a significant amount of jumping and running. Last Updated on Octoby The SportsMD Editors Stress Fractures in Shins and Lower Extremities ![]()
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