What is a Femoral Neck Stress Fracture?
● Femoral neck stress fractures are a common cause of hip pain for runners and military recruits due to chronic repetitive activity.
● This type of fracture is uncommon in the general population.
Signs and Symptoms
● Pain in the hip, groin, and front of the thigh,
● Have a history of hip and groin pain related to increased level of athletes’ activity and is relieved by rest,
● Hard to train, compete, and walk, which can negatively impact athletic careers.
Treatment
● The treatment plan will depend on the severity of the fracture.
● Compression fractures are considered stable and may be treated with several days of rest followed by a period of protected weightbearing. Therefore, no surgery is required.
● Nonoperative treatment requires X-rays to determine the potential for a possible late displacement. A late displacement is complicated to treat and occurs most frequently in young adults.
❖ If the fracture continues to go undetected, or if left untreated, this type of stress fracture can lead to a complete fracture (displaced) from the femoral neck that can lead to serious complications, such as displacement and risk of osteonecrosis.
❖ These complications will require secondary reconstructive surgery.
● After surgery, physical therapy will begin.
● The goal is to control and reduce pain, to improve and restore range of motion of the hip.
● Once pain free, weight bearing can be progressed.
● Once the patient no longer experiences major pain, he or she will be able to tolerate weight-bearing walking, swimming, and cycling activities.
References
Ilusmedical. (2020). [Illustration]. Illustration fracture femur bone, with fracture in the femoral neck and
in the greater trochanter, correction of the fracture with fixation by screws and sliding plate.
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/illustration-fracture-femur-bone-femoral-neck-158083
4260.
Melanga, G. (2016). Femoral Neck Fracture. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/86659-overview.
Wildstein, M. (2020). Femoral Neck Stress and Insufficiency Fractures. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1246691-overview.