Myositis ossificans in a 29 years old athletic female

Myositis ossificans (MO) is a rare group of diseases in which heterotopic ossification occurs in muscles, tendons, nerves, or even subcutaneous fat. MO can occur in patients of all ages, but usually appears in young adults who practice sports or have a history of mechanical trauma, burns, infections or drug abuse.

The article highlights the case of a 29-year-old athletic female who noticed, by random palpation, a small lump in her left biceps, near the radial insertion. The lump was not painful and noticeable with the naked eye.

Rest and NSAIDs were recommended and all went well for about 3 months.

However, after almost a week from that moment, the pain was excruciating, inflammation extend on the arm and forearm, she could not extend her arm anymore and its circumference was 30 cm from 24 initially.

A biopsy was performed and the result was calcified fibrous tissue with suggestive aspect of myositis ossificans. Surgery was planned with reconstruction of the biceps tendon in mind.

After surgery, the elbow was splinted at 90 degrees for two weeks, then dynamic splinting was performed with increasingly wider range of motion until full recovery was achieved.

MO is a rare disease that involves many differential diagnoses, some of which are deadly and each with its own particularities, different imaging aspects and different treatments.