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Toronto, AL M5N 2M7
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Fax: 416-483-2654
christian@orthogate.com






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I'm starting basic training for military service next month. I am on a birth control injection to regulate my periods. I've been told this could increase my chances of getting hurt. Is there any truth to this?

Sometimes women who are very active in sports or running have very few menstrual cycles or stop having a menstrual cycle altogether. This latter condition is called amenorrhea.

Studies show that active females who are amenorrheic are at increased risk for injury, especially stress fractures. Military and civilian women engaged in repetitive, vigorous, weight-bearing activities have the highest rate of injury.

Prolonged periods of amenorrhea (10 months or more) is a good predictor of injury. Putting girls on birth control hormone to regulate their cycles is one way to manage this problem. There doesn't appear to be a link between birth control pills and stress fractures.

However, Depo-Provera, an injectable form of birth control can lower bone mineral density. Given once every three months, this form of hormone regulation may increase the risk of stress fractures of the legs.

According to a recent study of female Marine Corps recruits, there was no association between Depo-Provera use and injuries of any kind to the lower extremities. More studies between birth control hormone methods and risk of injury are needed to settle this question.


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