Risk Factors of Kelsey et al for Stress Fracture in a Young Female Cross Country Runner

 

Mean age: 22 years, with standard deviation 2.6

 

Risk factors for a stress fracture:

(1) history of a previous stress fracture

(2) lower bone mass in the hip

(3) irregular menstrual cycles (<= 9 menstrual cycles in the previous year)

 

where:

• The rate ratio for hip bone density was 2.2 for each standard deviation below the mean.

 

Additional factors that may contribute:

(1) very early menarche

(2) young adolescent

 

A female runner with one or more of these risk factors should be monitored more closely. If the bone density is low then steps should be taken to increase it.