Division of Sports Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Stress fractures are a source of significant sports disability in the growing athlete. Early diagnosis and treatment are paramount in the management of these injuries to minimize the morbidity associated with them. In addition, the identification of potential host and/or environmental risk factors, and education of athletes, parents, coaches and physicians about these risk factors are key in the prevention of stress fractures and other overuse injuries in the pediatric athlete.