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Vertebral ring apophysis injury in athletes

Is the etiology different in the thoracic and lumbar spine?

Department of Orthopaedics

Mikael Hellstrom, MD, PhD

Diagnostic Radiology, Sahlgrenska Hospital, University of Göteborg, Göteborg, Sweden

BO Jacobsson, MD, PhD

Diagnostic Radiology, East Hospital

L. Karlsson, MD

Department of Orthopaedics

In a radiologic study of the thoracolumbar spine in 143 athletes aged 14 to 25 years and 30 male nonathletes aged 19 to 25 years, abnormalities of the vertebral ring apophyses were analyzed. Abnormalities affecting the anterior part of the vertebral ring apophysis occurred exclusively in athletes and they were most common in wrestlers and female gymnasts. Different types of ab normalities were found and the type of abnormality was related to the spinal level. We propose that this is related to trauma of various types. Excavation of the anterior part of the vertebra, probably from compres sion forces, was mainly found in the thoracic and tho racolumbar junction of the spine. Persisting or enlarged apophysis, probably caused by avulsion of the anterior part of the vertebral ring apophysis, was only found in the lumbar spine.

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