Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Bone Growing in Muscle After Injury (Myositis Ossificans)
Myositis ossificans is a condition where bone forms inside muscle tissue after a direct blow or injury - it most commonly occurs in the thigh (quadriceps) or upper arm (brachialis) muscles after a hard impact, creating a painful lump that gradually hardens as bone develops over weeks to months - the key to treatment is recognizing it early and avoiding aggressive massage, stretching, or early surgery which make it worse - conservative treatment (rest, gentle motion, anti-inflammatory medication) allows the bone to mature over 6-12 months, after which it can be surgically removed if causing problems, achieving 70-80% good outcomes.
📖What is Bone Growing in Muscle After Injury (Myositis Ossificans)?
Myositis ossificans is a condition where bone forms inside muscle tissue after a direct blow or injury - it most commonly occurs in the thigh (quadriceps) or upper arm (brachialis) muscles after a hard impact, creating a painful lump that gradually hardens as bone develops over weeks to months - the key to treatment is recognizing it early and avoiding aggressive massage, stretching, or early surgery which make it worse - conservative treatment (rest, gentle motion, anti-inflammatory medication) allows the bone to mature over 6-12 months, after which it can be surgically removed if causing problems, achieving 70-80% good outcomes.
🔬What Causes It?
- Direct muscle contusion (hard blow to thigh or arm causing deep muscle bruise)
- Repeated trauma to same muscle area (multiple impacts in contact sports)
- Overly aggressive massage or stretching of injured muscle triggering bone formation
- Elbow dislocation injury damaging brachialis muscle (elbow flexor)
- Neurological injury (traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury) causing widespread heterotopic ossification
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Contact sports (football, rugby, Australian rules football, hockey)
- Direct blow to quadriceps (thigh) or brachialis (upper arm) muscle
- Previous myositis ossificans (20-30% recurrence risk in same location)
- Overly aggressive physiotherapy after muscle injury (forceful stretching triggers bone formation)
- Delayed diagnosis leading to continued trauma to healing muscle
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Wear protective padding in contact sports (thigh pads in football, elbow pads)
- ✓Avoid aggressive massage or stretching of acutely injured muscles
- ✓Early recognition and gentle treatment of muscle contusions
- ✓Gradual return to contact sports after muscle injuries (avoid re-injury)
- ✓If diagnosed with myositis ossificans, avoid the injured area until fully healed