title: Lumbar facet stress fracture in a ballet dancer.
abstract: A frequent cause of back pain in athletes and dancers is stress injury to the posterior vertebral elements. Stress fractures affect the pars interarticularis and, rarely, other vertebral regions. The authors present their experience with the diagnosis and treatment of a fourth lumbar inferior articular facet stress fracture in a ballerina in this brief report and discuss the literature concerning posterior element stress fractures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fehlandt
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Micheli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003615:Dancing / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy