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Date of Award

Spring 2020

Degree Name

Master of Medical Science (Physician Assistant)

Department

Physician Assistant; College of Health Sciences

First Advisor

Zachary Weik PA-C

Abstract

The risk of an athlete developing a stress fracture is multifactorial. Low bone mineral density, poor biomechanics, inadequate nutrition, and irregular menstrual cycles have all been studied and identified as increased risk factors for recurrent stress fractures. Tailoring recovery time to the severity of the stress fracture has not been acknowledged as decreasing the risk of developing another stress fracture in the future. Current recommendations for time to return to sport fail to acknowledge differences in individual physiology, the site of the fracture, and severity. The current suggestion is a rest phase of 3-10 days, a cross-training phase of 4-7 weeks, and a gradual return to running over the course of 4 weeks. Clinicians disagree on how long it takes for a fracture to fully heal, with some suggesting 6-8 weeks and others suggesting 10-12 weeks. The mechanism of stress fracture healing is not well understood as is, so it is unwise to fail to acknowledge the potential degrees of severity in regards to proper healing time.

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Optimizing Outcomes in Return to Sport by Tailoring Stress Fracture Severity to Recovery Time

The risk of an athlete developing a stress fracture is multifactorial. Low bone mineral density, poor biomechanics, inadequate nutrition, and irregular menstrual cycles have all been studied and identified as increased risk factors for recurrent stress fractures. Tailoring recovery time to the severity of the stress fracture has not been acknowledged as decreasing the risk of developing another stress fracture in the future. Current recommendations for time to return to sport fail to acknowledge differences in individual physiology, the site of the fracture, and severity. The current suggestion is a rest phase of 3-10 days, a cross-training phase of 4-7 weeks, and a gradual return to running over the course of 4 weeks. Clinicians disagree on how long it takes for a fracture to fully heal, with some suggesting 6-8 weeks and others suggesting 10-12 weeks. The mechanism of stress fracture healing is not well understood as is, so it is unwise to fail to acknowledge the potential degrees of severity in regards to proper healing time.