swimming and stress fractures

In article said:

Has anyone heard of stress fractures occuring with higher than normal incidence in swimmers? In
particular, in the area of the ribs or sternum. Informative links also appreciated.

Why would this be? Can you get stress fractures without impacting, just from the exertion applied?

--
Jason O'Rourke www.jor.com

Jason O'Rourke said:

In article said:

Has anyone heard of stress fractures occuring with higher than normal incidence in swimmers? In
particular, in the area of the ribs or sternum. Informative links also appreciated.

Why would this be? Can you get stress fractures without impacting, just from the exertion applied?

So I've heard. I have a friend who, unbeknownst to himself, had a stress fracture in his arm from
rock climbing (not really an impact sport). He was arm wrestling a friend recently and his humerus
snapped-- a very ugly radial fracture. He told me that he later did some research into stress
fractures and found out that wrestlers and swimmers are also prone to these. I didn't have a chance
to get a lot of details from him though. But I think he said wrestlers are susceptible to fractures
in the sternum/rib area just from the stresses created by their own muscles when doing various
"hug"-type maneuvers. I take this to mean the pecs are cracking the bones to which they attach.

So anyway, just curious if anyone has heard of this sort of thing in swimming. When I can, I'll ask
him if he recalls from his own research any further details about swimmers and stress fractures.