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Fracture, Tibial Spine Avulsion, Sports Medicine

Chris Koutures, MD, FAAP and Alana Ryan, DO Reviewed 04/2019
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Tibial spine avulsion fractures occur when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–tibial spine bone interface is ruptured by undue stress.

  • In children, the weaker, incompletely ossified...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • In children aged 8 to 11 yr, often due to hyperextension injury

  • Above this age, owing to either hyperextension injury or single-leg landing from a jump, both associated with a rotation...

TREATMENT

  • Acute treatment

  • Analgesia:

    • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used initially for pain control.

    • Frequent application of ice for 20-min periods as tolerated by patient

  • Aspiration of...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • In the immediate postinjury or postoperative period, follow-up radiographs are necessary to evaluate for loss of fracture reduction.

  • Radiographic demonstration of ...

REFERENCES

1
Shin YW, Uppstrom TJ, Haskel JD, et al. The tibial eminence fracture in skeletally immature patients. Curr Opin Pediatr.  2015;27(1):50–57.
2
Rhodes JT, Cannamela PC, Cruz AI, et al. In...

ADDITIONAL READING

Accousti WK, Willis RB. Tibial eminence fractures. Orthop Clin North Am.  2003;34(3):365–375. 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • History of either hyperextension or rotational stress to the knee (e.g., landing single legged from a jump)

  • Similar mechanism of injury for a midsubstance ACL injury

  • Thus, in any case of...

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