title: Transient osteoporosis of the navicular bone in a runner.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transient osteoporosis or the bone marrow oedema syndrome is described as a self-limiting disorder. Transient osteoporosis usually affects only one bone, predominantly the proximal femur. Involvement of the foot is rare and often overlooked. A disorder of the navicular bone of the foot can be found twice in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of transient osteoporosis of the navicular bone of the foot in a 20-year-old, female, top-level track athlete (400 m sprinter) treated with alendronate, and a review of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The therapeutic options are limited, frequently consisting of non-specific, symptomatic therapy. Some authors report favourable results with core decompression, while others have reported good results with a conservative regime of symptomatic treatment and avoidance of weight-bearing until the clinical and radiological changes have resolved. In the described case, the patient had a favourable result after a short course of treatment with alendronate. She experienced almost immediate pain reduction and presented a complete resolution of the abnormal signal intensity on MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This rapid result makes the use of alendronate seem promising in athletes with transient osteoporosis, permitting an early return to high-level activities.
authors: Orthopaedic Department of the UK Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. Miltner.Heuter@t-online.de
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Miltner
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Niedhart
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Piroth
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Weber
authors: C H
authors: CH
authors: Siebert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011859:Radiography; D012420:Running; D013639:Tarsal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019386:Alendronate