Sports Medicine
Dr. Henry Backe is an integral part of the Orthopaedic Specialty
Group, P. C. team for over 25 years. Dr. Backe’s exceptional surgical skills are complemented by a personable style and dedication to the highest quality patient outcomes and satisfaction. He is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and is focused on treating sports-related injuries and conditions.
Stress Fractures
Sports Medicine Specialist In The Greater Fairfield & Shelton Connecticut Areas
Dr. Backe of Orthopedic Specialty Group, is a specially-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports-related conditions and injuries. He treats sports injuries at his offices in Fairfield and Shelton, Connecticut. His patients receive a unique treatment plan matching their lifestyle and return-to-work goals. Dr. Backe offers innovative and less-invasive treatment options and state-of-the-art technologies that benefit his patients in many ways.
FAQs on Stress Fractures
Stress Fractures
A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture.
Cause
Stress fractures often are the result of increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too rapidly. They also can be caused by the impact of an unfamiliar surface (a tennis player who has switched surfaces from a soft clay court to a hard court); improper equipment (a runner using worn or less flexible shoes); and increased physical stress (a basketball player who has had a substantial increase in playing time).
Most stress fractures occur in the weightbearing bones of the lower leg and the foot. More than 50 percent of all stress fractures occur in the lower leg.
Studies have shown that athletes participating in tennis, track and field, gymnastics, and basketball are very susceptible to stress fractures. In all of these sports, the repetitive stress of the foot striking the ground can cause trauma. Without sufficient rest between workouts or competitions, an athlete is at risk for developing a stress fracture.
Symptoms
Pain with activity is the most common complaint with a stress fracture. This pain subsides with rest.
Diagnosis
It is very important that during the medical examination Dr. Backe evaluates the patient’s risk factors for stress fracture.
X-rays are commonly used to determine stress fracture. Sometimes, the stress fracture cannot be seen on regular x-rays or will not show up for several weeks after the pain starts. Occasionally, a computed topography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be necessary.
Treatment
The most important treatment is rest. Individuals need to rest from the activity that caused the stress fracture, and engage in a pain-free activity during the six to eight weeks it takes most stress fractures to heal.
If the activity that caused the stress fracture is resumed too quickly, larger, harder-to-heal stress fractures can develop. Re-injury also could lead to chronic problems where the stress fracture might never heal properly.
In addition to rest, shoe inserts or braces may be used to help these injuries heal
