title: Anterior tibial stress fractures treated with anterior tension band plating in high-performance athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The non-surgical treatment of anterior tibial cortex stress fractures requires long periods of abstention from sports activities and often results in non-union. Many different surgical techniques have already been previously described to treat these fractures, but there is no consensus on the best treatment. We describe the outcome of treatment using anterior tibial tension band plating in three high-performance athletes (4 legs) with anterior tibial cortex stress fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tibial osteosynthesis with a 3.5-mm locking compression plate in the anterolateral aspect of the tibia was performed in all patients diagnosed with anterior tibial stress fracture after September 2010 at Santa Casa Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the fractures were consolidated within a period of 3 months after surgery, allowing for an early return to pre-injury levels of competitive sports activity. There were no infection, non-union, malunion or anterior knee pain complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior tibial tension band plating leads to prompt fracture consolidation and is a good alternative for the treatment of anterior tibial cortex stress fractures. Bone grafts were shown to be unnecessary.
authors: Sports Medicine Division, Department of Orthopedic, Santa Casa de São Paulo, R. Landgraft, 62., São Paulo, SP, 04638-040, Brazil.
authors: Alexandre Santa
authors: AS
authors: Cruz
authors: João Paris Buarque
authors: JP
authors: de Hollanda
authors: Aires
authors: A
authors: Duarte
authors: José Soares
authors: JS
authors: Hungria Neto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D001860:Bone Plates; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult