A lot of my patients have been asking about an injury that occurred to an Ohio State basketball player a few weeks ago. The team physicians diagnosed this player with transverse process fractures at the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebrae (low back bones).
The transverse processes are pieces of bone that serve as muscle attachments that extend off of the sides of the low back bones. An injury or fracture to one of these bones can cause spasms and dysfunction of the muscles that attach to this area. The main muscles that attach to the transverse processes in the lower spine are the hip flexor and the low back extensor muscles.
Some complications to this injury could be a hematoma (collection of blood) or a laceration of the spleen, liver, or kidney. Luckily, from what the physician’s examination showed none of these occurred.
The treatment for a transverse process fracture without complications is helping to return the athlete to proper posture and reduce discomfort while to area heals and stabilizes. The Journal of trauma states that “As long as the patient is stable and neurologically intact, no surgery or bracing is needed”.
This player is in great hands and the university states that he will be out for around 8 weeks. This seems completely understandable and hopefully he heals quickly and gets back on the court as soon as possible.
By: Dr. Johnathan Haggerty