Case Series: Bilateral Operative Femoral Neck Stress Fractures in Marine Corps Recruits.

This article focuses on two cases of bilateral operative femoral neck stress fractures in U.S. Marine Corps recruits, highlighting the diagnostic challenges and management strategies for these rare but serious injuries. Both recruits presented with bilateral groin or hip pain and were found to have grade 4 femoral neck stress fractures with concomitant joint effusions on MRI, which recent studies suggest predict fracture progression and poor outcomes without surgery. Operative management via bilateral percutaneous pinning was performed promptly, leading to favorable short-term outcomes and avoidance of complications such as fracture displacement and avascular necrosis. The article emphasizes the importance of early clinical suspicion, advanced imaging, and consideration of joint effusions in guiding timely surgical intervention, as well as the potential value of pretraining screening and metabolic optimization to reduce stress fracture incidence in military recruits.