Stress fracture of the pubic arch in military recruits.

An analysis of 49 pubic arch stress fractures in 39 military recruits is presented. These represent eight per cent of all stress fractures and are more common than the fracture in the femoral neck. Every fifth was bilateral and eight patients had stress fractures in other bones. No common aetiology was found. Two-thirds of the fractures occur during the cold season, but skiing was not an important factor. The average time from the first clinical examination to diagnosis was 30 days. An adequate and early radiological examination is important for diagnosis.