Fabella syndrome in an elite swimmer

The fabella is a sesamoid bone present in 30% of the population and, in the majority of cases, it is shown in the proximal head of the lateral gastrocnemius articulating with the lateral femoral condyle. Fabella syndrome is an uncommon disease and it must be considered when dealing with posterolateral pain that increases with extension of the knee. Because of its rarity and underdiagnosis, the literature reports few articles relating to its therapeutic management. The articles reviewed demonstrate that conservative treatment has high recurrence rates, surgical excision being the most effective treatment to eradicate symptoms. We found exceptional articles in the literature related to the surgical treatment of fabella syndrome in professional athletes. In this article we report the surgical experience of a 21-year-old elite swimmer who achievedcomplete pain relief and fast recovery after surgical excision of the fabella.