Olecranon Apophysitis: An Uncommon Cause of Elbow Pain

Elbow pain in sports enthusiasts has many etiologies that require judicious exclusion of the differentials. Apophysitis of the olecranon is a rare condition and may occasionally affect amateur adolescent athletes. A high index of suspicion and careful radiological assessment are critical for the diagnosis and management. Many of these cases may be missed on casual evaluation. Here, we present a case of a 13-year-old male adolescent with localized elbow pain and the radiological presence of corresponding soft tissue swelling and changes in the apophysis. Widening and irregularity of the olecranon apophysis was appreciated in the radiograph and comparison with the contralateral normal side proved important to confirm the diagnosis. The conservative management led to uneventful healing with a regain of painless movement.