Management of Stress Fractures in Ballet.

Abstract

Stress fractures are highly prevalent in ballet dancers and lead to notable time loss from dancing. Nutritional status, body composition, bone mineral density, and rate of increase in activity are among the components that influence risk for stress fractures. Proper evaluation and management of stress fractures is essential including a review of the causative factors involved in each stress injury. The purpose of this article was to summarize current evidence for risk factors involved in dancers' stress fractures to optimize prevention and treatment. Identified associated factors include low energy availability, low bone mineral density, low fat body composition, abnormal lower extremity biomechanics, genetic factors, and high training loads.