Serial Ultrasonography for the Assessment of Healing of Lower Extremity Bone Stress Injury and Correlation With Return to Sport/Exercise.

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity bone stress injuries (BSIs) are common among athletes who participate in high-impact activities. Conventional imaging is limited in assessing healing of BSIs. HYPOTHESIS: Serial ultrasonography (US) can identify changes in appearance of lower extremity BSIs over time that can be correlated with symptoms and return to exercise/sport. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort observational study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Adults 18 to 50 years old with a recent exercise-associated BSI of distal tibia/fibula or metatarsals diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled. US was performed every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The sonographic appearance (soft tissue edema, periosteal reaction, hyperemia on power Doppler, callus) was correlated with the numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain and ability to return to sport/exercise. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were enrolled (mean age, 35.3 ± 7.7 years; 21 [70.0%] female). The tibia was most frequently affected (n = 15, 50.0%), followed by metatarsals (n = 14, 46.7%) and fibula (n = 1, 3.3%). At week 4, 25 of 30 (83.3%) had at least 1 US finding associated with the BSI. The degree of hyperemia was correlated with NRS at weeks 4 and 6 (Spearman correlations [ρ] 0.45 [0.09, 0.69] and 0.42 [0.07, 0.67], respectively), as well as return to sport/exercise at week 6 (ρ -0.45 [-0.68, -0.09]). US soft tissue edema was also correlated with NRS at week 6 (ρ 0.38 [0.02, 0.65]). CONCLUSION: Serial US of lower extremity BSIs can provide objective measures of healing. US findings were correlated with clinical outcomes at multiple timepoints. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: US may have advantages over conventional imaging for monitoring healing of lower extremity BSIs. Further research is needed to better understand the prognostic value of these sonographic indicators of BSI healing and role in assessing readiness for return to sport/exercise.

Prevalence of Vitamin D Insufficiency and Deficiency in Young, Female Patients With Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Complaints.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of vitamin D have well-known impacts on bone health, but vitamin D also has a more global role throughout many tissues, including skeletal muscle. The high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and the vast physiological features of vitamin D have led researchers to examine the influence of vitamin D on physical performance and injury. Because of the critical role of vitamin D in maintaining musculoskeletal health and function, a high rate of hypovitaminosis D among female patients with a variety of musculoskeletal issues could be of high clinical relevance. HYPOTHESIS: There is a high prevalence of low vitamin D in female patients with both acute and overuse sports-related issues of both soft tissue and bone. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Female patients, aged 16 to 40 years, presenting with lower extremity injury diagnosed within the past 4 weeks, no use of multivitamin or vitamin D supplement, and no history of malabsorption syndrome met the inclusion criteria. Vitamin D levels were assessed and categorized as normal (≥32 ng/mL) and low, which includes insufficient (20.01-31.9 ng/mL) and deficient (≤20 ng/mL). RESULTS: Of the 105 patients enrolled, 65.7% had low vitamin D. Within the low vitamin D cohort, 40.6% were deficient and 59.4% were insufficient. Injuries were grouped into overuse or acute with 74 overuse injuries and 31 acute injuries, exhibiting low vitamin D prevalence of 60.8% and 77.4%, respectively. Patients with ligamentous/cartilaginous injuries exhibited the highest percentage of low vitamin D (76.5%), followed by those with patellofemoral-related complaints (71.0%), muscle/tendon injuries (54.6%), and bone stress injuries (45.5%). In univariable analysis, older age, non-White race, less physical activity, less high-intensity interval training days, less endurance training days, and more rest days showed an association with low vitamin D, but none showed an independent association in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of low vitamin D in female patients with various musculoskeletal complaints was high. Clinicians should evaluate for low vitamin D in both acute and overuse injuries. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In addition to screening, this study suggests that clinicians should evaluate for low vitamin D levels beyond bone stress injuries in the setting of acute and overuse injuries.

Menstrual Irregularity, Hormonal Contraceptive Use, and Bone Stress Injuries in Collegiate Female Athletes in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Menstrual irregularity (MI) is common in female athletes and is a component of the Female Athlete Triad (Triad). Many athletes with the Triad are started on hormonal contraceptives (HC) for MI, but this interferes with the ability to monitor menstrual cycle regularity and can mask other causes of MI. There are limited studies investigating the relationship between MI, HC use, and injury in female collegiate athletes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of and relationship between HC use, MI, and bone stress injuries in female collegiate athletes in the United States. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Online survey. PARTICIPANTS: 1020 U.S. female collegiate athletes (age ≥ 18 years). METHODS OR INTERVENTIONS: Assessment of risk factors for menstrual irregularity and bone stress injuries was conducted via a one-time survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HC use, MI, history of stress fractures. RESULTS: Current HC use prevalence was 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.9%, 67.8%). Of all athletes, 47% reported past MI. Of the athletes who were not currently using HCs, 32% had current MI. Compared with athletes without past MI, more athletes with past MI reported current HC use (73% vs. 57%) and indicated menstrual cycle consistency as the primary reason for use (24% vs. 4%) (P < .001). Additionally, 25% of athletes reported a history of stress fractures, which was associated with lean/aesthetic sports participation (odds ratio [95% CI]: 1.9 [1.4, 2.5]; P < .001) and less oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use (0.7 [0.5, 1.0]; P = .043). Compared with OCPs, injectable HCs were associated with greater odds of a history of stress fractures (4.5[1.6, 12.3]; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: HC use was prevalent among this cohort of female collegiate athletes, and almost half of the athletes reported past MI. A goal of menstrual cycle regularity was cited by 24% of athletes as a primary reason to use HCs, which shows that more athlete education is needed to avoid masking MI and the Triad with HCs. Further studies elucidating the relationship between HC use, MI, and sports-related injury are warranted.

High Number of Daily Steps Recorded by Runners Recovering from Bone Stress Injuries.

BACKGROUND: Bone stress injuries (BSIs) are common among runners for which activity modification is the primary treatment. The clinical utility of measuring activity during recovery has not been evaluated. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We sought to measure the physical activity of runners recovering from BSIs and determine if activity can be correlated with symptoms. METHODS: A prospective observational pilot study was performed of runners with a new lower extremity BSI treated non-surgically. For 30 days, activity of runners was measured with a physical activity tracker and daily pain scores were collected. RESULTS: We enrolled 18 runners (average age, 33 years; 72% female). Twelve had stress fractures and six had stress reactions. The average daily steps of all runners during the observation period was 10,018 ± 3232, and the runner with the highest daily steps averaged 15,976. There were similar average daily steps in those with stress fractures versus reactions, 10,329 versus 9965, respectively. There was no correlation between daily steps or relative change in daily steps with pain or relative change in pain scores. CONCLUSION: Runners with BSIs averaged over 10,000 steps per day during early recovery. Clinicians may not be aware of the amount of activity runners maintain after being diagnosed with a BSI. Although daily steps and symptoms could not be correlated in this study, objectively measuring activity may assist clinicians in guiding runners recovering from BSIs.

Case report: ischial stress fracture non-union in a college football player.

Stress fractures are common injuries associated with repetitive high-impact activities, often in high-level athletes and military recruits. Although predominantly occurring in the lower extremities, stress fractures may occur wherever there is a sudden increase in frequency or intensity of activity, thereby overloading the yield point of the local bone environment. Ischial stress fractures are a rarely diagnosed cause of pain around the hip and pelvis. Often, patients present with buttock pain with activity, which can be misdiagnosed as proximal hamstring tendonitis or avulsion. Here, we report a case of a college football player who was diagnosed with an ischial stress fracture which went on to symptomatic non-union after extensive conservative management. We treated his ischial non-union with open reduction internal fixation utilizing a tension band plate and screws. This interesting case highlights an uncommon cause of the relatively common presentation of posterior hip pain and describes our technique for addressing a stress fracture non-union in the ischium.

Bone Health in Athletes.

CONTEXT: The health of the skeletal system is important for athletes young and old. From the early benefits of exercise on bones to the importance of osteoporosis prevention and treatment, bone health affects the ability to be active throughout life. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: PubMed articles dating from 1986 to 2016 were used for the review. Relevant terms such as keywords and section titles of the article were searched and articles identified were reviewed for relevance to this article. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Levels 1 through 4 evidence included. RESULTS: There is strong evidence that exercise benefits bone health at every age and is a critical factor in osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Vitamin D, calcium, and hormones play vital roles in ensuring optimal bone health. When there is an imbalance between exercise and nutrition, as seen in the female athlete triad, bone health is compromised and can lead to bone stress injuries and early osteoporosis. Both of these can lead to morbidity and lost time from training and competition. Thus, early recognition and appropriate treatment of the female athlete triad and other stress fracture risk factors are vital to preventing long-term bone health problems. CONCLUSION: To optimize bone health, adequate nutrition, appropriate weightbearing exercise, strength training, and adequate calcium and vitamin D are necessary throughout life.

Correlation of MRI grading of bone stress injuries with clinical risk factors and return to play: a 5-year prospective study in collegiate track and field athletes.

BACKGROUND: Bone stress injuries are common in track and field athletes. Knowledge of risk factors and correlation of these to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) grading could be helpful in determining recovery time. PURPOSE: To examine the relationships between MRI grading of bone stress injuries with clinical risk factors and time to return to sport in collegiate track and field athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A total of 211 male and female collegiate track and field and cross-country athletes were followed prospectively through their competitive seasons. All athletes had preparticipation history, physical examination, and anthropometric measurements obtained annually. An additional questionnaire was completed regarding nutritional behaviors, menstrual patterns, and prior injuries, as well as a 3-day diet record. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed at baseline and each year of participation in the study. Athletes with clinical evidence of bone stress injuries had plain radiographs. If radiograph findings were negative, MRI was performed. Bone stress injuries were evaluated by 2 independent radiologists utilizing an MRI grading system. The MRI grading and risk factors were evaluated to identify predictors of time to return to sport. RESULTS: Thirty-four of the athletes (12 men, 22 women) sustained 61 bone stress injuries during the 5-year study period. The mean prospective assessment for participants was 2.7 years. In the multiple regression model, MRI grade and total-body bone mineral density (BMD) emerged as significant and independent predictors of time to return to sport. Specifically, the higher the MRI grade (P = .004) and lower the BMD (P = .030), the longer the recovery time. Location of the bone injury at predominantly trabecular sites of the femoral neck, pubic bone, and sacrum was also associated with a prolonged time to return to sport. Female athletes with oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea had bone stress injuries of higher MRI grades compared with eumenorrheic athletes (P = .009). CONCLUSION: Higher MRI grade, lower BMD, and skeletal sites of predominant trabecular bone structures were associated with a delayed recovery of bone stress injuries in track and field athletes. Knowledge of these risk factors, as well as nutritional and menstrual factors, can be clinically useful in determining injury severity and time to return to sport.

The Role of Vitamin D Supplements in Women's Health.

Vitamin D is pivotal to the absorption of calcium and maximizing bone health. Women suffer great morbidity and mortality related to osteoporosis and fractures, which may be decreased by interventions such as vitamin D. In addition, extraskeletal benefits of vitamin D have been postulated including positive effects on cancer. Both the classical and nonclassical functions of vitamin D will be discussed here, with a focus on women.

A displaced femoral neck stress fracture in an amenorrheic adolescent female runner.

This case demonstrates the potential serious consequences of the female athlete triad and its effects on bone. Displaced femoral neck stress fractures cause significant morbidity, and this case highlights the preventable nature of this injury. The treatment was focused on improving low energy availability, and, although challenging, improvements were made. This injury could have been prevented if the signs and symptoms of her injury had been addressed and there had been better knowledge of her risk factors. This case highlights the need for further education in the sports and health communities.