title: Isolated tears of the gracilis muscle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although posterior thigh muscle strains are common in athletes, there are no reports regarding isolated gracilis muscle injuries. The authors present a case series of 7 elite athletes with isolated gracilis muscle ruptures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present the injury pattern, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and outcome of gracilis muscle ruptures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of 7 elite athletes with posterior thigh pain (3 dancers, 2 soccer players, 1 tae kwon do player, 1 tennis player). In all athletes, the injury occurred during thigh adduction with the hip internally rotated, as clearly evident at ultrasound scans performed 1 to 20 days after the injury. Management included an initial rest period, followed by physiotherapy and gradual return to sports activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the ultrasound scans, the lesions were in the proximal-middle third junction of the thigh, at the muscle-tendon junction. The lesions were classified as grade 2 (partial discontinuity). The muscle injury area was, on average, 17.1 × 23.7 mm (range, 10-31 × 9-46 mm). The average length of the lesions was 40.14 mm (range, 20-52 mm). All athletes recovered and returned to full performance within 6 weeks of the injury (average, 35.6 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medial thigh pain after eccentric contraction during hip adduction should raise suspicion of a gracilis muscle tear. Ultrasound is useful, and full recovery occurs within 6 weeks from the injury.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Diagnòstic per Imatge de Tarragona, Tarragona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pedret
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balius
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barceló
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lluís
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gougoulias
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malliaropoulos
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013848:Thigh / Q000293:injuries*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult