SCAPULAR AVULSION FRACTURE OF A HIGH-SCHOOL WRESTLER

This case study details a rare injury managed conservatively with aggr essive therapy with early return to competition. A 17-year-old high sc hool wrestler suffered indirect trauma to the right upper extremity. T he patient was forced to the mat where he felt pain in the posterior a spect of his shoulder and was point tender over the inferior pole of h is right scapula. Radiographs reveal an avulsion fracture at the infer ior angle oi the scapula. Aggressive therapy included modalities to co ntrol inflammation and muscle guarding in addition to early scapular m obility. Maintenance oi glenohumeral motion and upper extremity streng thening was started within a week. The patient was able to wrestle in the state tournament 3 weeks after initial injury. At the 6-month foll ow-up, the patient had no clinical tenderness, full range oi motion, a nd no motor deficits. The outcome resulted in clinical and radiologica l healing of the fracture and no functional deficits.