Posterior Foot Pain in a Collegiate Field-Hockey Player

Abstract

Stress fractures, particularly those in the lower extremity, are disabling and time-consuming injuries commonly seen in athletes. A stress fracture of the posterior talus is rare and presents with signs and symptoms similar to those of soft-tissue injuries in the rear foot. This case study involves a Division-I collegiate female field-hockey athlete who developed a stress reaction in her posterior talus approximately 6 weeks after sustaining a mild eversion ankle sprain. Her chief complaint was pain with forceful plantar flexion during running and cutting. Clinicians must be cautious when an athlete presents with posterior foot pain, being sure to properly assess and rule out differential diagnoses such as tendinitis, os trigonal fracture, and muscle strains. This athlete was able to remain weight bearing during healing, so her rehabilitation protocol allowed for a variety of exercise options.