Bilateral fracture of the base of the middle phalanx in a climber: Literature review and a case report

Abstract

During climbing, tears of the annular pulley are the most common injuries, while fractures of the dorsal base of the middle phalanx are rare and atypical. Only a few cases have been reported in international literature. The authors present a case of a Salter-Harris type III fracture of the base of the middle phalanx of the middle finger in a young climber and a review of the literature. The patient was a 17-year-old boy who regularly and intensively practiced climbing. He consulted for a non-traumatic history of proximal pain of the interphalangeal joints of the middle fingers. On clinical examination, there was pain on the dorsal surface of the proximal interphalangeal joints, with no decrease in range of motion of the fingers. X-rays showed a Salter-Harris type III, displaced epiphyseal fracture of the dorsal base of the middle phalanx of the middle fingers. Conservative treatment resulted in fracture union and the patient had recovered normal activity of his hand at the 6-month follow-up. Stress fractures are common in athletes like climbers in response to repetitive and prolonged sports. Epiphyseal fractures are the most common injuries in young climbers.