Quite keen to get some input into this. I’m a high level trampoline gymnast (30 - male - 85kg) making a comeback to my sport. I quit at 16 out on a lot of weight lost my way and at 29 realised I could still make it. I increased my load quickly whilst training for a triathlon (won the triathlon and still wasn’t sure on abilities for trampoline and was doing it I guess for fun / therapy). 

I started having some hip pain, it moved to quad and then inner thigh. Physio said a major muscle imbalance causing pain in my hip flexor. At the same time went to a doctor and he requested an MRI. He said NOT TO JUMP but physio said to keep jumping. I had MRI on 20th October and that evening I jumped really well. After that day I tried jumping again and was in a lot of pain each time I tried to jump. Doctor was slow to come back to me so I tried to train through - his assistant suggested no issue. 

He came back to me and stated that the MRI showed a femoral neck stress response. Since the appointment I had a pre booked holiday. I have definitely de loaded but not as much as he said. I have a lot more mobility and feel more freedom in my hips which I haven’t had since late September. 

Could you please help me understand the injury, whether I might have done more damage in the big session after the MRI, what a sort of recovery protocol might look like (as I have seen other athletes like Lucy Charles Barclay use crutches for the same injury and she won the world championship that year), and also what might have caused it - I.e. muscle imbalance, a specific fall (although if stress induced that’s more load based), why it’s on both sides of not a deficiency in something and what a return to training might look like? The science doesn’t seem super specific and I can’t find loads of data about what constitutes using the leg - dr says 5k steps or less: does that mean I can stretch, train calves, lower back, hamstrings, quads, core if it’s not full body weight etc etc. why am I allowed to cycle but others couldn’t do anything to heal this injury?

Any input would be hugely appreciated. I don’t have access to the scans. I won’t be covered by insurance to get another MRI now or at 6 weeks most likely and he didn’t say it was necessary before my return. 

Athlete with ‘Femoral Neck Stress Response’