Management of troublesome stress fractures.

Stress fractures can be challenging to treat. It is important to educate the clinician in the pathophysiology, etiology, evaluation, and treatment of stress fractures with special emphasis on troublesome and upper extremity stress fractures, along with the pathophysiology of fatigue failure of bone and the etiology of clinically significant stress fractures. A classification system has been outlined to facilitate management of troublesome stress fractures.