title: Evaluation of suspected stress fractures.
abstract: Stress fractures can occur if normal bone is exposed to repeated abnormal stress (fatigue fractures) or if normal stress is placed on bones with compromised elastic resistance (insufficiency fractures). This article describes two patients without a history of excessive stressful activity or apparent metabolic bone disease who developed bilateral distal tibial stress fractures. Different etiologies, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and diagnostic imaging modalities of stress fractures are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Rheumatology, Madigan Army Medical Ctr, Tacoma, Wash. USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Roebuck
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Finger
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Irvin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology