Rectus abdominus tear in a collegiate cheerleader

Abstract

Acute muscle injuries can occur at all skill levels across multiple different sports. Imaging is often used for diagnosis and is necessary for recognizing the extent of injury, complications, and overall prognosis. Ultrasound can be used in diagnosing muscle tears. However, there are less than a dozen documented cases that use ultrasound in the evaluation and diagnosis of a rectus abdominus tear, though the actual number of cases are most likely underreported in the literature. This case discusses an 18-year-old college athlete that suffered a distal rectus abdominus tear after performing a stunt as a cheerleader and her subsequent treatment.

Keywords

• Musculoskeletal
• Ultrasound
• Rectus abdominus
• Tear