Bilateral avulsion fractures of olecranon apophyses

Avulsion fracture of the olecranon is a relatively common injury in the adult. In the child, however, it is a rare occurrence. The injury is usually due to a fall on the outstretched elbow, with a sudden contraction of the triceps muscle. The contraction of this muscle avulses the olecranon and tears the distal triceps expansion. The fracture is well described in standard textbooks on paediatric orthopaedic surgery.