Ninety-five percent of adolescent athletes with lumbar spine stress fractures recovered without surgery, according to research from New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons’ annual meeting in New Orleans.
The study reviewed 179 cases of acute spondylolysis treated from February 2016 to August 2024, according to a March 3 news release from the health system. Most patients returned to sports after three months of rest, bracing and physical therapy. Only 5% required surgery.
The findings support conservative treatment as first-line care.
In a separate study, HSS researchers found a higher rate of physeal fractures among children who received growth hormone therapy. These fractures affect the growth plate and account for up to 30% of pediatric fractures.
The analysis used insurance data from 2010 to 2022, comparing 34,196 patients who received growth hormone therapy with a matched control group. Fractures were more common among treated patients, especially in the upper and lower extremities. Researchers noted the study does not prove causation, the release said.
