Stress fractures were first described in Prussian soldiers by
Breithauptin1855.1–3 Theywerenamed“marchfractures”and
their characteristics were confirmed 40 years later with the
advent of radiography.1,2 In 1958, Devas made the first report
on stress fractures in athletes.1–3
This injury occurs as a result of high numbers of occurrences of cyclical overloading of intensity lower than the
maximum bone strength, on non-pathological bone tissue.4–6
These fractures may be the final stage of fatigue or insuf-
ficiency of the bone affected.6
Fatigue fractures occur after
formationandaccumulationofmicrofracturesinnormalbone
trabeculae. On the other hand, fractures resulting from bone
insufficiencyoccur inbone thatismechanicallycompromised
and generally presents low bone mineral density.6
In both
situations, imbalance between the bone that is formed and
remodeled and the bone that it reabsorbed will result in discontinuity of the bone at the site affected.7,8 The aim here
was to present anupdating article onthis topic and condense
the main information obtained through the most important
studies published over the lastfew years.