Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation for Stress Fractures Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Jonathan C Reeser, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Consuelo T Lorenzo, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 25, 2010
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Jonathan C Reeser, MD, PhD  Office of Research Integrity and Protections, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation

Jonathan C Reeser, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Association, Association of Academic Physiatrists, Phi Beta Kappa, and State Medical Society of Wisconsin

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Everett C Hills, MD, MS  Vice Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Director for Outpatient Services, Penn State Hershey Rehabilitation Hospital, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center and Penn State University College of Medicine

Everett C Hills, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American College of Physician Executives, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, American Medical Association, American Society of Neurorehabilitation, Association of Academic Physiatrists, and Pennsylvania Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Michael T Andary, MD, MS  Professor, Residency Program Director, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Michael T Andary, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Medical Association, and Association of Academic Physiatrists

Disclosure: Allergan Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Pfizer Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Kelly L Allen, MD  Medical Director, Medevals

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Consuelo T Lorenzo, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Alegent Health, Immanuel Rehabilitation Center

Consuelo T Lorenzo, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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This image is of a 17-year-old male wrestler with a 2-month history of left-sided low back pain, worse with extension. Total body scintigraphy findings were unremarkable. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
Same patient as in the above image. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images demonstrate abnormal delayed uptake in the posterior elements of L5. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
Same patient as in the above 2 images. Subsequent MRI revealed an area of bright signal in the left pars interarticularis of L5 on T2-weighted images, confirming the diagnosis of acute unilateral spondylolysis. The patient was treated successfully with activity restriction and bracing with a lumbar corset for 3 months, at which point he was asymptomatic. Plain film imaging at follow-up (not shown) was unremarkable, with no evidence of spondylolysis on oblique views. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
A 17-year-old female dancer with a 2-week history of left shin pain. Plain film imaging was unremarkable. Three-phase bone scanning demonstrated an area of linear uptake in the posterior medial aspect of the left tibia on blood pool images, but delayed images were considered normal. This scintigraphic pattern is consistent with medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints), but not with stress fracture. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
This is a 55-year-old female industrial worker with a 1-week history of right foot pain. Plain film imaging was unremarkable. Bone scanning revealed a stress fracture of the second metatarsal. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
This image is of an 18-year-old female soccer player with a 3-week history of left leg pain, which was worse at night and with activity. Upon examination, she reported tenderness in response to palpation over the midtibia. Bilateral pes planus was noted. Plain film radiography failed to demonstrate a fracture. Bone scanning revealed a focal area of delayed uptake on the posterior medial aspect of the proximal third of the left tibia, confirming the diagnosis of stress fracture. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
A 63-year-old man with metastatic thyroid carcinoma went for a walk and awoke the following morning with left hip girdle pain. Plain film imaging revealed a subtle area of linear cortical lucency at the proximal left femoral metadiaphysis, consistent with an insufficiency fracture through pathologic bone. The patient subsequently underwent internal fixation. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
Enlarged view of the fracture shown in the above image. Plain film imaging revealed a subtle area of linear cortical lucency at the proximal left femoral metadiaphysis, consistent with an insufficiency fracture through pathologic bone. The patient subsequently underwent internal fixation. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
This case involves a 16-year-old female basketball player with a 2-year history of left foot pain refractory to casting and reduced weight bearing. Bone scanning revealed a focal area of delayed uptake lateral to the left first metatarsal phalangeal joint, which corresponded to a bipartite sesamoid on plain films. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
Sesamoid stress fractures are prone to nonunion, and sesamoidectomy is indicated for patients who do not respond to conservative management. Some clinicians recommend bone grafting as an alternative to complete or partial sesamoidectomy. Courtesy of Michael Spieth, MD, and Nandita Bhattacharjee, MD, MHA; Marshfield Clinic Department of Radiology.
 
 
 
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