My daughter (level 9) just got an MRI that shows "swelling in the pars interarticularis and extending into the transverse process at L4". The Dr. said this is not yet a stress fracture but the start of one. She was told 8-12 weeks off. Absolutely no extension. She wants to go to the gym part-time to do what she can do avoiding extension so that she doesn't lose all her strength. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a back stress fracture or "almost" stress fracture and if they took complete time off or modified? The Dr. said let PT guide you back in but we can't get a PT appointment for a month! Working on that...