HSS study: Surgery often unnecessary for teen spine fractures
By Admin | March 10, 2026
Ninety-five percent of adolescent athletes with lumbar spine stress fractures recovered without surgery, according to research from New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons’ annual meeting in New Orleans.
The study reviewed 179 cases of acute spondylolysis treated from February 2016 to August 2024, according to a March 3 news release from the health system. Most patients returned to sports after three months of rest, bracing and physical therapy. Only 5% required surgery.
The findings support conservative treatment as first-line care.
In a separate study, HSS researchers found a higher rate of physeal fractures among children who received growth hormone therapy. These fractures affect...(More)
For more info please read, HSS study: Surgery often unnecessary for teen spine fractures, by Becker's Spine Review
