What the heck is an avulsion fracture?”
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers basketball superstar, sustained an avulsion fracture in the index finger of his right hand in last night’s 104 to 92 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Staples Center. Bryant left the game in the second quarter, but returned in the second half for a short time after he was fitted with a foam splint at half time. He later reported that he was in immense pain but wanted to continue playing the game. Bryant sustained a similar injury on his pinkie finger in the past, but plans to not miss any future games with this most recent injury. An avulsion fracture is an injury to the bone in a place where a tendon or ligament attaches to the bone. When an avulsion fracture occurs, the tendon or ligament pulls away a piece of the bone. It is typically caused by a throwing or jumping action. These injuries are more common in children than adults. Children have a weak point in their skeleton called the growth plate because this area is actively growing. The usual t
