Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCauses/Risk FactorsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes/Risk Factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
A hip stress fracture differs from a high-energy hip fracture due to a fall or apathologic fracturedue to osteoporosis, tumors, or infections.
You may think of broken hips only in the elderly, but a hip stress fracture can happen at any age. Learn about hip stress fractures, including common symptoms and treatments.
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Hip Stress Fracture Symptoms
The symptoms are usually noted after a recent increase in the level of activity, such as increasing running mileage.
After a stress fracture, the bones often maintain their proper alignment. In fact, these fractures are sometimes not even visible—especially in the early stages—on a regular X-ray.
However, if the stress fracture is left untreated, and the bone continues to weaken, the fracture can displace, or cause the bones to go out of alignment.
Hip stress fractures are particularly concerning because the bones are at risk to move out of alignment (displace). If this happens, the blood supply can be cut off, leading to bone death and the development ofhip osteonecrosis.
Healthcare providers are usually concerned about stress fractures of thefemoral neckin the hip. This is the area that cradles the ball of the femur, or thigh bone. If the injury is suspected, the provider will usually ask the patient to use crutches until the necessary diagnostics tests are complete.
Hip Stress Fractures Causes and Risk Factors
In the situation of a stress fracture, repetitive injury to the bone eventually leads to failure of the bone or fracture.
Normally, bone is constantly undergoing a cycle of turnover during which old bone is reabsorbed, and new bone is created. If the process cannot keep up, eventually the bone can fracture.
How Common Are Hip Stress Fractures?
Hip stress fractures most often occur just below the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint. This location of the bone is called the femoral neck.
Stress fractures can occur in other areas of the hip and pelvis, but the femoral neck is the most common and most concerning location for a hip stress fracture.
Fracture: What to Know About This Injury
Risk Factors
Having certain risk factors can make you more likely to get a hip stress fracture. These include:
How Hip Stress Fractures Are Diagnosed
If a hip stress fracture is suspected, an X-ray will be performed. While some hip stress fractures will be seen on X-ray, some X-rays may appear normal.
If the injury is still suspected, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a bone scan can also be obtained to evaluate for a stress fracture.
Treatment for Hip Stress Fractures
Hip stress fractures require you to immediately stop any activities that place stress on the joint, as well as significantly reduce pain or discomfort.
If a stress fracture is suspected, pain medications should be avoided until the fracture has been treated. Taking pain medication can mask symptoms and lead to a more serious break.
If you only have pain when running, then the running must be stopped. If the pain occurs while walking, thencrutches should be used.
The important concept is to stay under the level of pain. If you avoid activities that aggravate your symptoms, then it is often possible that hip stress fractures will heal without surgery.
Surgery for Hip Stress Fractures
Surgeryis needed if there is a concern that the fracture may displace. This is often considered if the break is significant and located on the femoral neck, which is less apt to heal on its own.
The specific location of the fracture can help your healthcare provider to determine the best course of treatment.
Hip stress fractures that lead to compression tend to be more stable than those that occur where the bone is under tension. Your provider can determine if the stress fracture is stable based on the X-ray and MRI results.
Recovery From Hip Surgery
There are a few stages ofrecovery after hip surgery, but how fast you progress will depend on the type of surgery you had and your overall health.
Some people can move around quite well soon after they have surgery, which can help promote healing and prevent complications. Other people take longer toget back on their feetand may need more support in the hospital in terms of pain control.
Physical therapy(PT) will probably be a big part of your recovery. You might even start before you go home from the hospital.Even though PT can be challenging, it’s very important that you stick with your treatment plan and work toward meeting your goals.
You may need some help around the housewhile you are recovering, especially if you live in a house that has stairs or you’re not feeling steady enough on your feet to take care of chores and self care tasks.
You’ll also need tocare for your incisionswhile they heal. Your providers will show you how to do this before you go home, but call your surgeon’s office if you have questions. You might be able to have a nurse come to your house to help you with wound care.
It’s key that you go to yourfollow-up appointmentswith your surgeon. They will check to make sure that you are healing well and let you know when you’re ready to go back to your typical activities, like work and exercise.
How to Prevent Hip Stress Fractures
You may not be able to completely prevent a hip stress fracture from happening, especially if you have several risk factors that make it more likely you’ll experience the injury in your lifetime.
That said, there are some general steps you can take to lower your risk of stress fractures while staying active:
Summary
Hip stress fractures are most common in athletes, especially runners. That said, people who have risk factors for breaking a hip—like low bone mass and certain health conditions—can also get them.
A stress fracture can be difficult to diagnose, but it might show up on an X-ray.Y Once diagnosed, your provider will want you to rest and may give you some medication to help with the pain.
You may need to use supports like crutches for a while. In some cases, surgery is needed. Physical therapy will likely be an important component of the healing process.
A Word From Verywell
Hip stress fractures can become very serious injuries that require immediate treatment. While not every hip stress fracture will require surgical treatment, immediate modification of activities in order to relieve symptoms and allow the bone to heal is a necessity.
Neglected hip stress fractures can lead to serious problems, most notably the displacement of the fracture that would require surgery, and could lead to serious complications, including hip osteonecrosis.
A hip stress fracture typically causes pain when you’re standing, running, or walking, but not usually at rest. You may feel pain in your hip or groin.Sometimes, the pain will get worse at night.
It’s possible for a hip stress fracture to heal on its own if it’s not severe and you’re able to avoid activities that would put a strain on it. More serious hip stress fractures need surgery.
Most stress fractures of the hip will heal in four to six weeks, as long as you’re following your provider’s treatment recommendations (for example, you’re resting and using crutches when you’re walking).
Surgery may be recommended if a hip stress fracture involves a big break in the bone or it is not getting better with rest and other treatments.
What Are My Odds of Recovering From a Broken Hip?
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Robertson GA, Wood AM.Femoral neck stress fractures in sport: a current concepts review.Sports Med Int Open. 2017;1(2):E58–E68. doi:10.1055/s-0043-103946Behrens SB, Deren ME, Matson A, Fadale PD, Monchik KO.Stress fractures of the pelvis and legs in athletes: a review.Sports Health. 2013;5(2):165-174. doi:10.1177/1941738112467423Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing falls and hip fractures.Patel DS, Roth M, Kapil N.Stress fractures: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2011;83(1):39-46.Stanford Medicine.Risk factors for hip fracture.Johns Hopkins.Hip replacement recovery: Q&A with a hip specialist.UCSF Health.Recovering from hip replacement surgery.NYC Langone.Preventing stress fractures.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Stress fractures of the foot and ankle.Masci, L.Hip stress fracture: a common injury for active runners.OrthoNorCal.Stress fractures of the hip.Sports Medicine Oregon.What is a stress fracture of the hip?
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Robertson GA, Wood AM.Femoral neck stress fractures in sport: a current concepts review.Sports Med Int Open. 2017;1(2):E58–E68. doi:10.1055/s-0043-103946Behrens SB, Deren ME, Matson A, Fadale PD, Monchik KO.Stress fractures of the pelvis and legs in athletes: a review.Sports Health. 2013;5(2):165-174. doi:10.1177/1941738112467423Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing falls and hip fractures.Patel DS, Roth M, Kapil N.Stress fractures: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2011;83(1):39-46.Stanford Medicine.Risk factors for hip fracture.Johns Hopkins.Hip replacement recovery: Q&A with a hip specialist.UCSF Health.Recovering from hip replacement surgery.NYC Langone.Preventing stress fractures.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Stress fractures of the foot and ankle.Masci, L.Hip stress fracture: a common injury for active runners.OrthoNorCal.Stress fractures of the hip.Sports Medicine Oregon.What is a stress fracture of the hip?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Robertson GA, Wood AM.Femoral neck stress fractures in sport: a current concepts review.Sports Med Int Open. 2017;1(2):E58–E68. doi:10.1055/s-0043-103946Behrens SB, Deren ME, Matson A, Fadale PD, Monchik KO.Stress fractures of the pelvis and legs in athletes: a review.Sports Health. 2013;5(2):165-174. doi:10.1177/1941738112467423Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing falls and hip fractures.Patel DS, Roth M, Kapil N.Stress fractures: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2011;83(1):39-46.Stanford Medicine.Risk factors for hip fracture.Johns Hopkins.Hip replacement recovery: Q&A with a hip specialist.UCSF Health.Recovering from hip replacement surgery.NYC Langone.Preventing stress fractures.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Stress fractures of the foot and ankle.Masci, L.Hip stress fracture: a common injury for active runners.OrthoNorCal.Stress fractures of the hip.Sports Medicine Oregon.What is a stress fracture of the hip?
Robertson GA, Wood AM.Femoral neck stress fractures in sport: a current concepts review.Sports Med Int Open. 2017;1(2):E58–E68. doi:10.1055/s-0043-103946
Behrens SB, Deren ME, Matson A, Fadale PD, Monchik KO.Stress fractures of the pelvis and legs in athletes: a review.Sports Health. 2013;5(2):165-174. doi:10.1177/1941738112467423
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing falls and hip fractures.
Patel DS, Roth M, Kapil N.Stress fractures: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2011;83(1):39-46.
Stanford Medicine.Risk factors for hip fracture.
Johns Hopkins.Hip replacement recovery: Q&A with a hip specialist.
UCSF Health.Recovering from hip replacement surgery.
NYC Langone.Preventing stress fractures.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Stress fractures of the foot and ankle.
Masci, L.Hip stress fracture: a common injury for active runners.
OrthoNorCal.Stress fractures of the hip.
Sports Medicine Oregon.What is a stress fracture of the hip?
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