Treatment of Stress Fractures: The Fundamentals

A fratura por estresse foi descrita inicialmente em soldados prussianos por Breithaupt em 1855 e ocorre como o resultado de um número repetitivo de movimentos em determinada região que pode levar a fadiga e desbalanço da atuação dos osteoblastos e osteoclastos e favorecer a ruptura óssea. Além disso, quando usamos uma determinada região do corpo de maneira errônea, a fratura por estresse pode ocorrer mesmo sem que ocorra um número excessivo de ciclos funcionais. O objetivo deste estudo é revisar a literatura mais relevante dos últimos anos para agregar as principais informações a respeito dessa patologia em um artigo de atualização do tema.

Stress fractures were first described in Prussian soldiers by Breithaupt in 1855. They occur as the result of repeatedly making the same movement in a specific region, which can lead to fatigue and imbalance between osteoblast and osteoclast activity, thus favoring bone breakage. In addition, when a particular region of the body is used in the wrong way, a stress fracture can occur even without the occurrence of an excessive number of functional cycles. The objective of this study was to review the most relevant literature of recent years in order to add key information regarding this pathological condition, as an updating article on this topic.

Stress fractures are common painful conditions in athletes, usually associated to biomechanical overloads. Low risk stress fractures usually respond well to conservative treatments, but up to one third of the athletes may not respond, and evolve into high-risk stress fractures. Surgical stabilization may be the final treatment, but it is a highly invasive procedure with known complications. Shockwave treatments (ESWT), based upon the stimulation of bone turnover, osteoblast stimulation and neovascularization by mechanotransduction, have been successfully used to treat delayed unions and avascular necrosis. Since 1999 it has also been proposed in the treatment of stress fractures with excellent results and no complications. We have used focused shockwave treatments in professional athletes and military personnel with a high rate of recovery, return to competition and pain control. We present the current concepts of shockwave treatments for stress fractures, and recommend it as the primary standard of care in low risk patients with poor response to conventional treatments.

We report the case of a 35 years old patient presenting with bilateral pain in the medial aspect of both knees. Ultrasound examination revealed hyperechoic appearance of the subcutaneous tissue and periarticular soft tissue bilateral. Color Doppler studies showed significant vascular signals at the surface of the tibial plateaux. US appearance, together with clinical findings, suggested a diagnosis of simultaneous bilateral fatigue fracture. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis and the patient’s symptoms resolved with rest. US may be a useful imaging tool in the diagnosis of stress fracture.

Presentiamo il caso di un paziente di 35 anni con dolore bilaterale nella parte mediale delle ginocchia. L’ecografia evidenziava ipoecogenicità del tessuto sottocutaneo e delle parti molli periarticolari bilateralmente. L’esame con color Doppler mostrava significativi segnali vascolari in corrispondenza del piatto tibiale. L’aspetto ecografico, associato ai segni clinici, suggeriva la diagnosi di simultanea frattura da fatica, bilaterale. La risonanza magnetica confermava la diagnosi e i sintomi del paziente regredivano con il riposo. L’ecografia può essere un’utile metodica nella diagnosi frattura da stress.