STRESS OSTEOPATHY OF THE FEMORAL-HEAD - 10 MILITARY RECRUITS FOLLOWEDFOR 5-11 YEARS

I present 10 cases of spongious bone injury of the femoral head induce d by physical stress. All patients were young military recruits who co mplained of hip pain from weight bearing which had started during phys ical exertion. Increased uptake in a radionuclide bone scan was regard ed as the criterion for stress osteopathy. 7 hips were radiographicall y normal. In 3 cases a subcortical lateral cystic lesion of the femora l head was observed. MRI was performed in 6 cases. A decreased signal intensity in T1-weighted images in 5 cases and high signals in T2-weig hted and IR signals (2 patients) indicated bone marrow edema. A latera l osteophyte of the femoral head developed in 1 case during 8 years' f ollow-up, After a median of 6 years, 9 patients still had occasional s light hip pain.