Out of 73,681 new out-patients who visited the orthopedic department of Tokyo Kouseinenkin Hospital between April 1980 and May 1989, there were 1,728 patients suffering from sports injuries, Out of these, 35 patients suffered from fatigue fractures; or 2% of sports injuries, Of those patients suffering from fatigue fractures, men made up the great majority at 27 (77%, average age 20, 6 years), whereas there were only 8 women (23%, average age 23.6 years), 40% of the injuries were Tibia, followed by metatarsal bones (approximately 23%), ribs (17.5%), fibula, ischiadic bone, sesamoid bone, 7 th cervical spine, and 1 st thoratic spine in that order. Sport in which the injuries occurred were running and golf (6 cases each; 17%), baseball, soccer, etc, in that order.
　Practically all cases of fatigue fracture occur due to excessive training or a sudden change in the training program, Most of the 35 cases observed at our hospital occurred from prolonged excessive training or sudden indcrease in training program.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.11/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE