Stress Fractures Linked to Lack Of Stretching - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Family Pratice News,  Feb 1, 2000  by Doug Brunk

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SAN DIEGO -- Female college athletes with 10 years or more in their sport and those who don't stretch before exercising appear to be at greatest risk for stress fractures, Dr. Thomas Terrell said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group.

Those findings help define markers that identify those at high risk for stress fractures, which previously have been estimated to occur in more than 30% of female athletes, said Dr. Terrell of the department of family and preventive medicine at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.

Dr. Terrell and his associates at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, surveyed 281 NCAA Division I female college athletes at two universities and one college in Maryland. The sports included basketball, track, soccer, volleyball, softball, swimming, diving, lacrosse, cross country gymnastics, and field hockey.

Overall, 15% of the female athletes reported ever having had stress fractures, and the risk was highest among soccer players.

Statistically significant risk factors for stress fractures included not stretching before exercise, biomechanical problems such as hyperpronation, wearing of shoe inserts, training 40-50 hours per week, and participating in a sport for 10 or more years.

In addition, women taking oral contraceptives for regulating menses had an increased rate of stress fractures, even though oral contraceptives are generally thought to have a protective effect on bone strength.

One weakness of the study is the possibility of inaccurate recall by the athletes of stress fractures, menstrual history and oral contraceptive use, Dr. Terrell noted.

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