Foot Facts: Stress Fractures and Ballet Dancers
October 2003
Stress fractures are “hairline” breaks in bones usually caused by a repetitive load on a portion of that bone. Activities such as marching, jogging and dancing can predispose a person to stress fractures. In ballet dancers the base (bottom portion vs. the “head”) of the second metatarsal has been observed to be the most common site. Interestingly, risk factors for developing these injuries include a poor diet, improper training techniques and irregularities with menstruation (this appears to be common in young professional women dancers).
Treatment consists of rest, various casting possibilities, and other modalities aimed at relieving symptoms. Healing can take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. In one review involving 51 professional dancers, the average time it took for dancers to return to performing was 6.2 weeks from the time the fracture was diagnosed. Unfortunately, once the fracture heals, some people can go on to refracture or to experience stiffness and pain in the involved area. Other dancers heal and resume full activity without any sequelae.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Ducach, request an appointment online or call Granite Medical at (617) 471-0033.