Tom DeLay Suffers a "Pre-" Stress Fracture on Dancing With the Stars

In rehearsals for Dancing With the Stars, Tom DeLay, former congressman from a suburb of Houston, TX, suffered a foot injury. Originally thought to be a stress fracture, it was later announced that it was a "pre-stress fracture." I was amazed to hear this. After several years of school, residency, and practice, I've never encountered such a thing.

So what do you do when you come across something new...you Google it! So I did and guess what? Everything that pops up has to do with Tom DeLay! Well that's the trend now...Pre-Diabetes, Pre-Hypertension...we've become too afraid to label someone with what they've got. So you end up with patients telling you: I'm not diabetic...I'm pre-diabetic as they eat a cupcake.

It is probable, however, that Mr. DeLay has a biomechanical situation in his feet that increases the pressure beneath the metatarsal bones. This can set the stage for a stress fracture. He should be managed with a custom orthotic device to allow the pressures to be redistributed. This way, no one area will have undue pressure beneath it. If he does develop a stress fracture, then it is a problem. If he continues to dance, the stress fracture, or a "hairline" fracture, can develop to be a full fracture which can require surgery to repair.

I'm sure Mr. DeLay's getting the best treatment. He should...he's got one of those lifetime congressional health plans we've heard so much about! Keep on dancing Tom!