Geometric and "True" Densitometric Characteristics of Bones in Athletes with Stress Fracture and Menstrual Disturbances: A Systematic Review
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stress fractures can lead to short- and long-term consequences, impacting participation in sport and general health. Recognizing which skeletal characteristics render bones susceptible to stress fracture may aid stress-fracture prevention. Menstrual disturbances among exercising women are a known risk factor for stress fracture; therefore, assessing skeletal commonalities between women with stress fractures and women with menstrual disturbances may increase our understanding of why menstrual disturbances put athletes at greater risk for stress fracture. Three-dimensional (3D) bone imaging tools provide detailed information about volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and bone structure that cannot be obtained using traditional two-dimensional (2D) techniques.
OBJECTIVES: This systematic review serves to: (1) evaluate the current literature available on vBMD, bone geometry, and bone structure in exercising women with menstrual disturbances and exercising women with stress fractures, and (2) assess the common skeletal characteristics between both conditions. Our aim is to reveal bone properties beyond 2D areal BMD that may indicate increased susceptibility to stress fracture among exercising women with menstrual disturbances.
SEARCH METHODS: A search of the PubMed/Medline database was completed in May 2018.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Eligible articles included those that reported vBMD, bone geometry, or bone structure obtained from 3D imaging techniques or estimated…
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