Retrospective review of 19 tibial tubercle avulsion fractures in 18 patients at a pediatric tertiary care center (1988–1996), asking: what is the fracture type distribution, what associated injuries occur, and do operative versus non-operative approaches differ in outcome?
When a jumping athlete presents with acute anterior knee pain and inability to extend, get radiographs to classify the tibial tubercle fracture — type IIB and above warrant ORIF, and you must actively look for patellar tendon or quadriceps avulsion (present in ~1 in 6 cases) since these are repaired at the same sitting.
Don't exclude preadolescents from this diagnosis; it has been documented as young as age 9.
Retrospective review of 19 tibial tubercle avulsion fractures in 18 patients at a pediatric tertiary care center (1988–1996), asking: what is the fracture type distribution, what associated injuries occur, and do operative versus non-operative approaches differ in outcome?
When a jumping athlete presents with acute anterior knee pain and inability to extend, get radiographs to classify the tibial tubercle fracture — type IIB and above warrant ORIF, and you must actively look for patellar tendon or quadriceps avulsion (present in ~1 in 6 cases) since these are repaired at the same sitting.
Don't exclude preadolescents from this diagnosis; it has been documented as young as age 9.