Avulsion Fracture of the Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine

Abstract

An avulsion fracture occurs when a piece of bone is pulled off by an attaching tendon or ligament during vigorous stretching. They are more common in teenagers because the bone is not mature enough to sustain the stress than the ligament or tendon and is often avulsed from the growth plate, rather than tendon or ligament injuries in adults. Here in, we report a rare case of avulsion fracture of the anterior inferior iliac spine occurred in a 15-year-old boy during a 100-meter dash. On physical examination, there was painful limitation of right hip movement, and tenderness around right inguinal area, with a negative Patrick test. The patient was treated conservatively and recovered uneventfully without residual functional impairment. A high index of suspicion for avulsion fracture of iliac spine is necessary when a teenager has a sudden onset of inguinal pain after running or sports which involve vigorous kicking.