Sternal stress fracture in a middle-aged woman.

A middle-aged premenopausal woman presented with 3 months of right chest wall pain after beginning a new weight training programme. Examination was significant only for mild-to-moderate tenderness to palpation over the right pectoral muscle and sternoclavicular joint. In-office musculoskeletal ultrasound scan, chest X-ray and shoulder X-rays were unremarkable. Subsequent MRI of the chest wall showed oedema in the sternum at the level of the sternoclavicular joint consistent with a sternal stress fracture. She was started on calcium and vitamin D supplementation and told to rest for 6 weeks. After this she began to gradually increase her activity and was pain free after 4 months. 2017 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.