everal factors are responsible for stress fractures. Repetitive physical forces without adequate rest are always involved, and bone quality is often evoked. A hormonal imbalance can alter the quality of bones as described in physically active women. 1 We report an unusual case of a bilateral femoral fracture in a long-distance runner that we suspect was caused by intensive sporting practices, male hypogonadism, and low bone density.
CASE REPORTA 40-year-old manual worker, ex-smoker (20 packs per year), with a height of 180 cm and a weight 68 kg (80 kg in 1994), who had been a long-distance runner at the regional level for 5 years (60 -70 km/wk), was examined in February 1999 after having suffered from a moderate but permanent pain in his right thigh for 3 weeks. The pain had increased progressively. The examination was normal except that palpation caused a pain in the middle third of the thigh. The radiograph results were negative, but a scintigram (hydroxymethylene diphosphonate-technetium-99m) revealed a stress fracture in the middle third posteromedial cortex of the right femur ( Fig. 1). He was told to stop all sport for 1.5 months, after which he began to run again as normal. Six months later, in early August 1999, a distal dull pain occurred in the left thigh. It did not perturb his day-to-day life but made running difficult. An ultrasound examination was carried out by another physician and revealed a "pulled muscle." However, 4 days later, the patient took part in a marathon. After 100 m, without trauma, he felt a violent crack in his left thigh that caused him to collapse. A radiograph showed a spiral oblique displaced fracture of the distal third femoral shaft without bone density alteration (Fig. 2). A plate was inserted to fix the fracture (Fig. 3). The patient returned to work 6 months later. The plate was removed 1 year later and the patient was able to start running again. He was symptomless and reached his previous level.The recurring and bilateral character of the these stress fractures, the displacement of one of them, and the shaft location induced us to carry out an etiologic examination. Perioperative biopsies did not reveal any structures indicative of a malignancy but revealed a decrease in the amount of bone tissue with a thinning of the spongy bone layer. Osteodensitometry revealed an osteopenia (density, 0.759 g/cm 2 ϭ t score Ϫ2 and z score Ϫ1.19 at the femoral neck). The hemogram and plasma electrolytogram were normal, with normal blood chemistry excluding chronic alcohol intoxication. The phosphocalcic results, with calcium intake, were normal (1.2 g/day) and fluorine salt was not prescribed (calcium level, 2.15 mmol/L [normal, 2.1-2.6 mmol/L]; phosphorus level, 1.23 mmol/L [normal, 0.8 -1.4 mmol/L]; protein level, 62 g/L [normal, 60 -80 g/L]). Corticotropin, thyrotropin, and lactotropin levels were normal, but a net testosterone level was only 2.2 nmol/L (normal, 12-40 nmol/L) 2 days after the surgical procedure. Two and a half months later, this level was at the lower limit (12 nmol...