AVULSION FRACTURE OF THE LESSER TROCHANTER IN A PREADOLESCENT ATHLETE

A 10-year-old athlete sustained an avulsion fracture of the lesser tro chanteric apophysis during a soccer match. Initially, he could not wal k. He had tenderness to palpation in the groin, and he was unable to f lex his hip (positive Ludloff sign) or to cross his legs. Radiography showed a 1-cm avulsion of the lesser trochanter from the femoral shaft . He was treated with analgesics, rest, and crutch-assisted early ambu lation. His symptoms resolved rapidly, the fracture united without dif ficulty, and the patient returned to competitive athletics with no obs ervable impairment at 3 years follow-up.