Objective:
To present the case of an 18-year-old collegiate decathlete with a Salter-Harris type I epiphyseal plate fracture of the proximal humerus.
Background:
A collegiate decathlete was playing flag football and fell on an outstretched arm. He was taken to the emergency room and diagnosed with a type I epiphyseal plate fracture.
Differential Diagnosis:
AC sprain, dislocation or subluxation, rotator cuff tear, labral tear.
Treatment:
Active and passive range of motion exercises were completed after two days of immobilization. He then started strengthening exercises and returned to competitive activity in 10 weeks.
Uniqueness:
Proximal humeral epiphyseal plate fractures are uncommon injuries, especially in athletes over the age of 15.
Conclusions:
If an accurate diagnosis is made, an appropriate conservative rehabilitation program can be implemented to safely return an athlete to participation without permanent deformity following a type I Salter-Harris fracture.