Distal fibular stress fracture

Case contributed by Henry Knipe
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Runner with distal shin pain.

Patient Data

Age: 45 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Small focus of calcified periosteal reaction in the distal fibula. Small well-corticated ossicle at the lateral malleolar tip.

One month later, the patient had increasing pain and a repeat x-ray was performed.

One month later

x-ray

Increased calcified periosteal reaction along the distal fibular shaft with new loss cortical density and complete fracture line.

Case Discussion

Typical changes of initially a stress response/injury progressing to a stress (fatigue) fracture one month later in a patient with the risk factor of long-distance running. The distal fibular is a less common location for stress fractures in the lower limb, when they do occur it is typically at the lateral cortex of the distal-third, as in this case.

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