USE OF CAPACITIVE COUPLED ELECTRIC-FIELDS IN STRESS-FRACTURES IN ATHLETES

The authors report the results of an open study on the treatment of st ress fracture in athletes by capacitive coupling, a bone healing stimu lation method promoting bone formation by application of alternating c urrent in the form of a sinusoidal wave. Twenty-five lower-limb (navic ular, 2nd and 5th metatarsal, tibia, fibula, and talus) stress fractur es in 21 athletes (mean age, 21.8 years old) were treated. The mean st imulation time was 52 days (navicular fractures, 60 days), Twenty-two fractures were healed, 1 was not healed, and 2 were improved. This pre liminary report shows that capacitive coupling can be used safely in t he treatment of these stress fractures.