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Avulsion fracture

Avulsion fractures occur when a tendon is torn of its attachment to the bone and takes a fragment of bone with it.

A tendon avulsion injury is often more serious than a muscle contusion or myotendinous strain. These injuries are more common in adolescents and children as the muscles and tendons are stronger than the bone. This is the opposite in adults where, normally, bone is stronger than muscle and tendon.

In the diagram to the left you can see where the patellar tendon has been torn off and has taken a piece of the shin bone with it.