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Bone stress injuries of the leg in athletes

Lesioni ossee da stress della gamba negli atleti

  • Musculoskeletal Radiology / Radiologia Muscolo-Scheletrica
  • Published:
La radiologia medica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bone stress injuries, whose incidence is increasing among competitive and recreational athletes, represent a pathophysiological continuum along which a bone responds to a changing mechanical environment. Frank stress fracture is the endpoint of this process, resulting from the accumulation of microinjuries due to repeated abnormal stresses. The legs are largely the most frequently affected bone district. The aim of this paper is to review the imaging findings of the whole spectrum of stress-induced bone lesions of the leg in athletes. We emphasise the role of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, which allow recognition of early alterations.

Riassunto

Le lesioni da stress, la cui incidenza è in aumento nella popolazione sportiva, in ambito sia competitivo che amatoriale, rappresentano una risposta patofisiologica dell’osso a modificazioni della normale stimolazione meccanica. Le fratture da stress franche rappresentano il culmine di questo processo, risultando da un accumulo di microdanni dovuti all’applicazione ripetuta di sollecitazioni anormali. Le ossa della gamba rappresentano senza dubbio il distretto più colpito. Il presente lavoro prende in esame i reperti di imaging di tutto il complesso delle lesioni da stress della gamba negli atleti. In particolare, si enfatizza il ruolo dell’imaging con tomografia computerizzata e con risonanza magnetica che permettono di riconoscere le alterazioni precoci.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy

    Michele Gaeta, Achille Mileto, Giorgio Ascenti, Gianmarco Bernava, Alessandra Murabito & Fabio Minutoli

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  1. Michele Gaeta
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  2. Achille Mileto
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  3. Giorgio Ascenti
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  4. Gianmarco Bernava
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  5. Alessandra Murabito
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  6. Fabio Minutoli
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Correspondence to Fabio Minutoli.

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Gaeta, M., Mileto, A., Ascenti, G. et al. Bone stress injuries of the leg in athletes. Radiol med 118, 1034–1044 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-013-0951-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-013-0951-x

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