Are women more susceptible to stress fractures than men?
A particularly high-risk group for stress fractures are female athletes who have hormonal imbalances resulting in abnormal or absent menstrual cycles. These imbalances adversely affect the strength and density of the bone increasing the susceptibility to fracture, especially when combined with an intensive training regimen. Medical studies have shown that female athletes seem to experience more stress fractures than their male counterparts. Many surgeons attribute this fact to a condition referred to as “the female athlete triad”-eating disorders (bulimia or anorexia), amenorrhea (infrequent menstrual cycle), and osteoporosis. As a female’s bone mass decreases, the chances of getting a stress fracture increase. The most common symptom of a stress fracture, regardless of type or cause, is pain. Pain may appear suddenly or gradually increase over several days. Swelling is also common, especially in the foot and lower leg. X-rays obtained in the first 2-3 weeks of symptoms may appear norm
