CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF STRESS FRACTURE OF THE PUBIC RAMUS CAUSED BY MILITARY TRAINING: A REPORT OF 66 CASES / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

To investigate the clinical diagnosis and treatment of stress fracture of the pubic ramus caused by military training, clinical data of 66 cases (18 males and 48 females, ranging from 18～21 years, mean age 19 6 years ) with stress fracture of the pubic ramus were retrospectively analysed. 55 cases were military recruits undergoing basic training, 11 army veterans undergoing intensive goose step training. 66 cases complained of chronic groin pain which increased in activity and relieved while at rest. The symptom occurred 3～10 weeks after the training began. The pain often lasted 1 week ～14 months. 22 cases who sought medical advice in medical team were mistaken for muscular injury. There were 76 stress fractures of the pubic ramus in 66 soldiers. 56 had stress fractures of one inferior pubic ramus, 6 both inferior pubic rami, and four had ipsilateral inferior and superior pubic rami fractures. Stress fracture of the pubic ramus is not rare, but it's quite easy to be neglected or misdiagnosed. The key to its diagnosis is getting a deeper understanding and making an adequate and early imaging examination in light of the clinical data.