Femoral Neck Fractures in Young Adults

Description: Femoral neck fractures in the young adult are a different type of fracture than those seen in the elderly. These younger patients have normal bone density. A simple fall is not going to break the femoral neck. These fractures require high energy type injury mechanisms, and greater than 50% of the patients will have associated injuries as a reflection of the severity of their injury. The mechanisms is usually an axial load to the lower extremity with an abducted hip. The fracture pattern in these patients tends to be more vertical than in the elderly patient.
OTA Basic Fracture Course