A Unique Incidental Finding in Two Young Dancers

Abstract

Dancers frequently present to the sports medicine clinic with a variety of lower extremity complaints ranging from acute and traumatic injuries to more chronic, overuse injuries. This case series depicts a similar and unique incidental radiographic finding found in 2 young dancers seen at the same sports medicine clinic. While the findings are likely benign and unrelated to both patients’ initial presentation, the finding of acroosteolysis can be found in more serious systemic and genetic processes as well an early finding in repetitive trauma.

Lost bones: differential diagnosis of acro-osteolysis seen by the pediatric rheumatologist

“…Acro-osteolysis has been reported secondary to local trauma and thermal injury. It has been described in the setting of repetitive trauma in two adolescent ballet dancers, and an adult surfer [ 47 , 48 ]. Reports of frostbite leading to acro-osteolysis suggest that it tends to occur months after the injury and typically spares the thumb.…”