Which populations are most likely to suffer from a fatigue fracture of the pars?

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Fatigue fractures of the pars interarticularis come from repetitive stress on the lumbar spine, not a single injury. The pars is especially vulnerable during adolescence when bones are growing and can’t handle repeated bending moments as well. Sports that repeatedly force the lower spine into extension and rotation—like gymnastics and pole vaulting—place a lot of load on the pars with each routine and landing. The back is often held in hyperextension during tumbling, release, and takeoffs, so the pars accumulates stress over time and can develop a stress reaction that progresses to a fatigue fracture. That pattern—young athletes doing a lot of lumbar extension with rotating movements and high trunk demands—maps most strongly onto gymnasts and pole vaulters, making them the population most likely to experience this injury. Other sports involve different loading patterns (for example, rowing emphasizes flexion rather than extreme extension) and thus have a lower risk of this specific fatigue fracture compared to gymnastics and pole vaulting.