HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Holden, D. L. Articles by Jackson, D. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Holden, D. L. Articles by Jackson, D. W.

Stress fracture of the ribs in female rowers

Southern California Center for Sports Medicine, Long Beach, California, and the McBride Clinic, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Douglas W. Jackson, MD

Southern California Center for Sports Medicine, Long Beach, California, and the McBride Clinic, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Stress fractures of the lower ribs related to sports are rare. Fractures of the ribs related to rowing sports have not been reported. We have documented seven cases of stress fractures of the lower ribs in female athletes; four were elite rowers and three were engaged in tennis, golf, and gymnastics. Each athlete was initially seen and treated elsewhere for muscular strain. All athletes presented with pain in the posterolateral thorax in and around the scapula. The time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis ranged from 2 to 6 months. Bone scans were used to document the fractures when roentgenograms were equivocal. Each athlete re sponded to a 4 to 8 week period of rest or training modification. Biomechanical analysis of the forces across the ribs demonstrates that these fractures tend to occur along the posterolateral segment where the bending stresses on the rib are greatest. The predom inant muscle forces are generated by the forced couple of scapular retraction and protraction acting through the serratus anterior. We postulate that inadequate strength and resistance training background in women is the cause for the apparent increased susceptibility of women to these skeletal injuries.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. J. Noonan, G. Sakryd, L. M. Espinoza, and D. Packer Posterior Rib Stress Fracture in Professional Baseball Pitchers Am. J. Sports Med., April 1, 2007; 35(4): 654 - 658. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. E. Abbot and J. A. Hannafin Stress Fracture of the Clavicle in a Female Lightweight Rower: A Case Report and Review of the Literature Am. J. Sports Med., May 1, 2001; 29(3): 370 - 372. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. P. Boden, D. C. Osbahr, and C. Jimenez Low-Risk Stress Fractures Am. J. Sports Med., January 1, 2001; 29(1): 100 - 111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Christiansen and K. A. Karlson Rib stress fractures in elite rowers. A case series and proposed mechanism. Am. J. Sports Med., May 1, 2000; 28(3): 435 - 436. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Karlson Rib Stress Fractures in Elite Rowers: A Case Series and Proposed Mechanism Am. J. Sports Med., July 1, 1998; 26(4): 516 - 519. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. S. Proffer, J. J. Patton, and D. W. Jackson Nonunion of a first rib fracture in a gymnast Am. J. Sports Med., March 1, 1991; 19(2): 198 - 201. [PDF]