Vertebral apophyseal ring fractures. A case report
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown radiographic changes in the spine of young athletes, especially in those who practice sports where there is high impact in the spine, such as artistic gymnastics. These activities can produce a significant stress or trauma causing apophyseal ring fractures. The aim of this study is to report the evolution of an elite athlete with acute low back pain, lesion of the ring apophysis and a consequent injury of the intervertebral disc who was treated conservatively. In this way, we made a clinical and radiographic follow-up during 5 years. The fracture of the epiphysis ossification nucleus is an unusual entity, rarely described in the literature. It is more prevalent in male, and especially in adolescents and young adults who practice competition sports. The most frequent location is at the inferior margin of L4, followed by the superior margin of S1 and L5. It is an infrequent pathology that should be a differential diagnosis in high competition athletes with lumbar pain. The non-surgical treatment evolution is usually favorable, without significant differences with those treated with surgery. Nevertheless, it leads to vertebral degenerative changes in the long term.References
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