Femoral Neck Stress Fractures in Athletes and the Military

Femoral neck stress fractures (FNSFs) are an infrequent condition in athletic and military populations.A high index of suspicion with liberal use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is vital for early recognition and treatment initiation.An associated hip effusion on MRI is a risk factor for an evolving stress injury and requires close assessment and consideration for repeat MRI.Stress reactions and stable, incomplete FNSFs (<50% of femoral neck width) can be treated nonsurgically.Surgical intervention is accepted for high-risk, incomplete (≥50% of femoral neck width), and complete FNSFs.Overall, there is a paucity of high-quality literature on the rates of return to activity following FNSF.