Hip avulsion fractures

An avulsion fracture is a separation of a small fragment of a bone cortex at the site of a ligament or tendon attachment. It is commonly seen in adolescent athletes. The mechanism of injury is either a sudden violent muscular contraction or an excessive amount of muscle stretch across an open epiphysis. This may also occur where the bone has been weakened by osteoporosis or local lesion. The common sites of avulsion injuries are the tibial tubercle and the medial epicondyle. However, hip avulsion fractures are not uncommon. They may occur in adolescents, young adults and in elderly people. There are various protocols for management depending on the patient's age, mechanism of injury and the underlying pathology.