Adolescent Athlete Stress Fractures Associated with Vitamin D Insufficiency: Three Cases with Review of the Literature.

CASE The authors present 3 adolescent athletes who presented with stress fractures in their lower extremities, initially diagnosed as tumors. All 3 patients received an inconclusive magnetic resonance imaging before referral; fractures were confirmed on radiographs and computed tomography. All were found to have vitamin D insufficiency. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D insufficiency is a global epidemic mainly focused on adults and young-adult athletes. These case reports raise concerns about a growing prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in adolescents, the potential risk of stress fracture, and the need for screening and possible supplementation in adolescent athletes to improve their bone health.