Question

Taryn is a high school senior who is undergoing a strenuous running regimen for several hours a day in order to qualify for her state high school track meet. Lately she has experienced intense pain in her right leg that is hindering her workouts. Her physician performs an examination of her right leg. The doctor doesn’t notice any outward evidence of injury; he then orders a bone scan. What does her doctor suspect the problem is?

Answer 1

Taryn’s doctor suspects that she has a stress fracture also known as a hairline fracture or fissure fracture. This fracture is induced by bone fatigue and is due to repeated stress on bone overtime. Stress fractures are caused due to accumulated trauma on bone from repeated sub maximal loading such as jumping or running. They are called as hairline fractures as very small cracks occur in the bones. They occur most commonly in weight bearing bones such as the tibia, navicular, and metatarsals. They are most common injuries in athletes characterized by intense pain that increases with exercise or activity. X-ray of bone usually does not reveal the presence of stress fractures and hence a 3-phase bone scan, or a CT scan , or an MRI scan in recommended.