Regional Migratory Osteoporosis of the Hip and Talus

Transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH) is a relatively rare disorder characterized by the loss of bone tissue in the proximal femur. Hip joint is the most common location of the disease, although it may also involve the knee, ankle or foot bones. Self-limited nature of the disease is characteristic with complete relief of symptoms occurring after 6 - 12 months.
Authors report a case with transient osteoporosis of the hip and a clear migratory pattern of osteoporosis from the hip to talus bone in the ipsilateral foot. Spontaneous resolution of symptoms occurred in the patient and he was asymptomatic in the last follow-up.
It is important to consider TOH in the differential diagnosis of middle-aged males and young females with hip pain. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute foot and ankle pain. The importance of recognizing this condition lies in its self-limiting nature, with spontaneous resolution in less than a year in the majority of cases. Consequently, invasive investigations may often be avoided in these patients.