Lower Extremity Bone Stress Injuries in Athletes: an Update on Current Guidelines

Purpose of review: This review aims to provide concise updated bone stress injury management based on anatomical location and severity, while also discussing adjunct treatment options. Recent Findings: Emergence of newer adjunct treatments includes orthobiologics, blood flow restriction, and extracorporeal shockwave therapy to aid bone healing. Summary: Bone stress injuries of the lower extremities can lead to time away from sport and often represent a larger health concern. Patient presentations can often be vague, so a high clinical suspicion is necessary. While each treatment plan should be individualized, the overall management plan can be guided based on stress fracture severity and grading systems as well as the anatomic location. Rehabilitation and return to play protocols help minimize loss of strength and conditioning to help ensure a speedy safe recovery. In addition, adjunctive treatment options are being considered to aid recovery and minimize time away from sport.