| The purpose of this study was to explore potential factors that could be associated with increased stress fracture development in division one collegiate cross country runners. Participants for this study consisted of 42 collegiate cross country runners at the University of Mississippi. A nutritional assessment consisting of a 3-day food record and measurements of whole body, lumbar spine and hip bone mineral densities using a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) was conducted on each athlete. Each athlete was also asked to answer a demographic questionnaire with questions regarding ethnicity, hometown, smoking status, vitamin/mineral intake, previous stress fracture history, birth control usage and menstrual status. Athletes were also asked to submit their training log to assess weekly and monthly running mileage.;This study found that of the 40% of females and 35% of males reporting a history of stress fracture, all females and males did not meet the recommended daily energy intake, adequate intake for calcium or adequate intake for vitamin D required for their amount of training. Chi-Square Test for Independence found statistical significance in the associations of caloric intake, calcium intake, and vitamin D intake with stress fracture development. No statistical significance was shown between lumbar spine or femoral neck BMD on stress fracture development. Pearson correlation found statistically significant associations with lumbar spine BMD and age of menarche, daily calcium intake and daily vitamin D intake, femur neck BMD and daily caloric intake, and calcium on number of cycles per year as well as vitamin D on number of cycles per year. Other meaningful statistics noted that when data on the lumbar spine was evaluated, 31% of participants were identified as having osteopenia and 4.8% with osteoporosis. More specifically, 31.8% of males and 30% of females suffered from osteopenia. Training in relation to stress fracture development could not be assessed statistically. All female and male training mileage proved to be constant. Results warrant a need for future longitudinal studies. |
