navicular stress fracture
Pronunciation: nah-VIK-you-lar
Overuse injury involving a crack in the navicular bone of the foot, common in jumping and running sports.
Full Definition
A stress fracture affecting the navicular bone, a critical weight-bearing bone in the midfoot that connects the hindfoot to the forefoot. This injury predominantly affects athletes in sports involving repetitive impact loading, such as basketball, track and field, and gymnastics. The navicular's poor blood supply makes these fractures prone to delayed healing and non-union. Symptoms include insidious onset of midfoot pain that worsens with activity. Diagnosis often requires advanced imaging like CT or MRI, and treatment typically involves prolonged non-weight bearing.
Usage
Usage note: Specify 'tarsal navicular' to distinguish from scaphoid navicular bone in wrist; emphasize healing complexity in documentation.
In Context
- "The basketball player's persistent midfoot pain was diagnosed as a navicular stress fracture on CT scan." — Diagnostic report
- "Navicular stress fractures require extended periods of non-weight bearing due to poor vascular supply." — Treatment protocol