Bilateral transient osteoporosis of the hip in a 20-year-old man

Transient osteoporosis is a rare musculoskeletal condition that has been reported in pregnant women and middle-aged men. We present a bilateral case in a young man. A 20-year-old man presented with spontaneous onset left hip pain. Investigations excluded other differential diagnoses such as infection or fracture. The pain resolved completely; 6 months later the patient presented with a similar episode of pain in the contralateral hip. This also resolved spontaneously. Doctors need to be aware of the possibility of spontaneous onset musculoskeletal pain due to transient osteoporosis occurring in young men. The typical presentation is of spontaneous onset progressive pain, often affecting the hip. Other pathology must be excluded. The investigation of choice is MRI, and the treatment is simple analgesia.