Management of Femoral Neck Stress Fracture in an Athlete Using Clodronic Acid: a Clinical Case Report

Stress fractures are common injuries caused by repetitive micro-traumas of the bone. Nowadays, they are widespread amongst the athletes and their treatment is mostly based on the limitation of physical activity, the application of ice, and the administration of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. We present a case of a 26-year-old woman who reported a mono-cortical stress fracture in the anatomical neck portion of the right femur treated with Clody® 200 mg/4 ml. The patient is an amateur runner who complained a progressive pain and functional limitation of the hip joint. No history of recent trauma was present as well as X-rays evidence of fractures. A subsequent magnetic resonance imaging study showed the presence of a mono-cortical stress fracture in the anatomical neck portion of the right femur. The patient was treated with 1 vial of Clody® 200 mg/4 ml a day for 7 days, following 1 vial every 15 days for 2 months without any further therapy as well as physical activity limitation, showing a faster clinical and radiological recovery compared with the most of therapies described in the literature. Concerning our positive experience, the purpose of this study is to give a starting point for further research in order to enlarge the number of studies about that specific approach.