Confirmed.

Femoral Neck Stress Fracture (FNSF).

The image is not coming out very clearly, but I added an arrow to the area in question, where there is 'increased activity'. It is quite obvious, it is a bit brighter than the surrounding area. I will get an MRI as soon as insurance approves it, to see the severity.

Good news: Doc seemed VERY mellow about it. Said I didn't need crutches. Said I could swim, maybe even bike depending on the MRI results.

Bad news: Obviously no running. For who knows how long. Everything you read about this injury talks about crutches, no weight bearing, and absolute rest, so I need to push the doctor when I go back as to why he obviously doesn't agree with this.

I am very happy with my decision to switch docs. Dr. M asked me a series of thorough questions regarding my medical and athletic history, etc and came up with some interesting points as to why this injury 'makes sense,' even though there was no acute injury:

1. My diet History. When I was a child, I went to a very liberal/hippy-dippy pediatrician who believed that "cow's milk was for baby cows and human milk was for baby humans." Thus, once I stopped breastfeeding, dairy was not a part of my diet. As I got older and had more control over what I was eating, I added cheese and some other diary (ice cream!), however never very much, and I never developed a taste for drinking straight milk. And my taste for yogurt is only recent. Dr. M believes this may have had an impact on my bones/bone density, thus he has recommended a calcium and Vitamin E supplement daily until I am 31 (which is said to be your peak of bone density).

2. My athletic history. In basic terms, because I was a swimmer my entire life (age 10 to 21), although I am very physically fit and have a strong aerobic base, my bones never had to get used to the pounding impact that running causes. Now that I am trying to become a runner, especially a distance runner, my body still has to adjust and learn to deal with this pounding, even though aerobically, I am able to run. Makes so much sense.

So although at this point it is still wait and see until the MRI, I am feeling SO much better about the whole situation.