Chronic Popliteus Tendon Avulsion Fracture with Chronic Knee Pain and Locking: A Case Report

A 31-year-old man who had a chronic popliteus avulsion fracture 18 years earlier treated with physical therapy presented with new onset left knee locking after exercising at the gym. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a chronic popliteus avulsion fracture of the lateral femoral condyle. Surgical excision of the nonunited bone fragment was performed.

Isolated popliteus avulsion fractures are extremely rare injuries that occur primarily in a skeletally immature patient population and for which treatment options are not well understood. Treatment options include conservative management and early surgical intervention, both of which have inherent risks and benefits. We recommend prompt imaging with computed tomography (CT) to better characterize the degree of injury and follow-up CT imaging in patients who do not undergo early surgical intervention.