Thoracolumbar Chance fracture during a professional female soccer game: case report

Abstract

We report a rare case of an unstable flexion-distraction spine fracture with ligament involvement that occurred during a professional female soccer game. There were no neurological déficit. The patient had a painful midline gap which suggested ligamentar injury that was not immediately recognized. Despite that, proper immobilization and referral to hospital for further evaluation avoided additional spinal cord damage. The patient underwent a monosegmental posterior instrumentation spine fusion and after 6 months returned to professional soccer activities. This paper alerts to the possibility of occurrence of severe and unstable spine injuries during soccer practice and the importance of an adequate initial care at the game field in order to avoid iatrogenic neurological injuries.