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[Conditions](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/) · [Lower limb](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/lower-limb/)

# Femoral Neck Fracture

A femoral neck fracture is a break just below the ball of the hip, common in older adults after a fall; it can cut the blood supply to the head.

Updated 2026-10-23

## Structures involved

Tap one to see what it is and open it in 3D.

- [Femur](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/femur/)

## In histology

- [Bone tissue: cells, compact and spongy bone](https://durgical.com/en/histology/bone-tissue-cells-compact-and-spongy-bone/)

## Why it happens

- [Infarction: red vs white, and what decides the damage](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/infarction-red-vs-white-and-what-decides-the-damage/)
- [Bone remodeling](https://durgical.com/en/physiology/bone-remodeling/)

## What it is

Break in the neck of the [femur](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/femur/), common in older adults after a fall, and in younger people after high-energy trauma.

## Causes

- Low-energy fall in osteoporotic bone
- High-energy trauma

## Risk factors

- Osteoporosis
- Older age
- Female sex
- Falls

## Symptoms and signs

- Inability to bear weight
- Shortened and externally rotated leg
- Groin or thigh pain

## Diagnosis

**Clinical**
Exam and inability to walk

**Imaging**
X-ray; CT or MRI if occult

## Treatment

**Surgical**
Fixation or hip replacement depending on displacement, age, and bone quality.

## Complications

- Avascular necrosis of the femoral head
- Nonunion
- Increased mortality in older adults

## Related conditions

- [Deep vein thrombosis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/)
- [Intertrochanteric hip fracture](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/intertrochanteric-hip-fracture/)
- [Femoral shaft fracture](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/femoral-shaft-fracture/)
- [Hip dislocation](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hip-dislocation/)
- [Avascular necrosis of the femoral head](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/avascular-necrosis-of-the-femoral-head/)
- [Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/osteoporotic-vertebral-compression-fracture/)
- [Osteoporosis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/osteoporosis/)

Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.

Sources: [Femoral Neck Fractures](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537347/) (StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/conditions/femoral-neck-fracture/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/conditions/femoral-neck-fracture/