Objective: To determine whether metabolic bone disease plays a role in the
cause of femoral neck stress fractures.
Study Design: Twenty-three patients with femoral neck stress fractures were
enrolled prospectively in the study. Examination included computed tomogra
phy bone densitometry, trace mineral analysis, and histomorphometric analys
is of the iliac crest in thirteen patients who underwent surgical treatment
of their stress fractures. A control group of fifteen patients undergoing
iliac crest bone grafting for scaphoid nonunions underwent similar examinat
ions.
Setting: Tertiary military medical center.
Results: Patients with femoral neck stress fractures had lower bone mineral
density than did control patients (p = 0.010), but no trace mineral defici
encies or consistent histomorphometric differences were noted.
Conclusions: Bone mineral density is decreased in patients with femoral nec
k stress fractures. Despite observations of decreased bone mineral density
in the stress fracture group, osteoporosis, as determined by histomorphomet
ry, is not a consistent Ending.