[Quadratus femoris muscle tear]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Diagnostic imaging

Background:

• Quadratus femoris tears are uncommon injuries causing hip pain, with unknown incidence.
• Symptoms include posterior gluteal or groin pain, complicating diagnosis due to broad differential for hip pain.

Observation:

• A 65-year-old male experienced gluteal and groin pain during tennis.
• Initial neurological evaluation with lumbosacral MRI was normal.
• A subsequent pelvic MRI revealed an unsuspected quadratus femoris tear.

Findings:

• Pelvic MRI identified an unsuspected quadratus femoris tear in a patient with persistent hip pain.
• The tear was not detected by initial lumbosacral MRI.

Implications:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is vital for diagnosing uncommon hip injuries.
• MRI's soft-tissue resolution aids in identifying abnormalities and making unexpected diagnoses.
• This case highlights the importance of considering quadratus femoris tears in hip pain evaluations.