Surgical treatment of traumatic rupture of the teres major tendon in a professional gymnast: a case report

J Surg Case Rep. 2024 Sep 5;2024(9):rjae568. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjae568. eCollection 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Teres major injuries are rare and are generally treated conservatively, except in high-performance athletes. This report describes a case of traumatic rupture of the teres major at its myotendinous junction in a professional gymnast. The patient underwent surgical treatment 10 days after the injury. Six months post-surgery, the patient achieved complete recovery of the range of motion and strength, returning to the pre-injury performance level, guided by physiotherapy rehabilitation. This is the first documented case in the literature of surgical treatment of this injury in a professional gymnast. The main lesson from this case is that early surgical repair in elite athletes can result in excellent functional outcomes and allow return to sport at the pre-injury performance level.

Keywords: athletes; gymnastics; sports injuries; surgical procedures; teres major.

Publication types

  • Case Reports