Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34727235›Full record

ReviewEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2022

Sacral stress fractures in athletes.

Eran Beit Ner, Oded Rabau, Saad Dosani, Uri Hazan, Yoram Anekstein, Yossi Smorgick

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. When it is not sacroiliitis.Skeletal radiology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Eran Beit NerDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. eranbnster@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-9332-6170
Oded RabauDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
Saad DosaniThe Division of Medical Education, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PG, UK.
Uri HazanDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
Yoram AneksteinDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
Yossi SmorgickDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
Tel Aviv University · ILAssaf Harofeh Medical Center · ILUniversity of Manchester · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFatigue stress fractures are a common overuse injury, frequently associated with high load-bearing endurance activities such as running, military training and aerobic exercise. While these fractures can arise at any site, sacral stress fractures are poorly studied with evidence consisting mainly of case reports and limited case series. This review aims to analyze and summarize all reports published to date describing cases of sacral stress fracture in athletes.

methodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Database were systematically searched for studies reporting on Stress Fractures of the Sacrum. Insufficiency fractures of the elderly were excluded.

resultsThe literature review revealed 49 studies reporting on 124 cases of sacral stress fractures. Seventy-six patients (61%) were professional or collegiate level athletes, and 37 (30%) were military recruits or police officers in training. Seventeen female athletes were identified as suffering from low bone mineral density (25%), 9 of which reported menstrual irregularities. Thirteen female patients (19%) had a history of eating disorders.

conclusionWhile most sacral stress fractures occur in normal bones exposed to abnormal repetitive loads, the high percentage of lower bone mineral density can blur the lines between fatigue fractures and insufficiency fractures. The causes of these fractures are multifactorial. High endurance sports and the features of the female athlete triad were found in high percentage of the cases. Conservative treatment is the mainstay of treatment, consisting of ceasing of training and a period of rehabilitation and gradual return to training and competition.

Indexed as

Fractures, StressRunningSpinal FracturesAthletesFemaleHumansSacrumAthletesAthletes female triadSacrumStress fracture

Identifiers

PMID34727235
OpenAlexW3211173185

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.