title: A rare case of a non-traumatic neck of femur fracture in a 17-year-old boy associated with vitamin D deficiency.
abstract: Hip fractures in the young, healthy population are rare and often the result of high-energy trauma. A previously healthy 17-year-old patient presented to our institution with a 5-week history of left hip and knee pain in the absence of any trauma. Pelvic radiograph revealed a subacute left femoral neck fracture. He subsequently underwent surgical fixation and made an uneventful recovery. Further endocrine evaluation revealed isolated vitamin D deficiency to be the likely underlying cause for this fracture. Multiple previous opportunities were missed to identify the cause for this patient's symptoms. An intracapsular fracture in a young adult requires early recognition and prompt anatomical reduction. This case emphasises the need to maintain a high index of suspicion for atraumatic fractures in healthy adolescents with unexplained joint pain. Further endocrine and metabolic investigations are warranted, and isolated vitamin D deficiency must be considered as a potential causative factor.
authors.affiliation: Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, Sandwell, UK maliha.moten@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Maliha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moten
authors.affiliation: Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, Sandwell, UK.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mussa
authors.affiliation: Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, Sandwell, UK.
authors.forename: Syeda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.affiliation: Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, Sandwell, UK.
authors.forename: Shrikant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Nutrition and metabolism; Orthopaedics; Vitamins and supplements