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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.
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Segond Fracture (Knee Bone Chip with ACL Tear)
A Segond fracture is a small chip of bone pulled off the outer edge of the tibia (shin bone) near the knee joint, occurring when the anterolateral ligament tears during a twisting knee injury - this tiny fracture fragment is a 'red flag' sign that nearly always (95-100%) indicates a serious ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear, with treatment focused on reconstructing the torn ACL rather than fixing the small bone chip which heals on its own.
đWhat is Segond Fracture (Knee Bone Chip with ACL Tear)?
A Segond fracture is a small chip of bone pulled off the outer edge of the tibia (shin bone) near the knee joint, occurring when the anterolateral ligament tears during a twisting knee injury - this tiny fracture fragment is a 'red flag' sign that nearly always (95-100%) indicates a serious ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear, with treatment focused on reconstructing the torn ACL rather than fixing the small bone chip which heals on its own.
đŦWhat Causes It?
- Internal rotation and varus stress on knee (twisting motion causing ligament tear and bone avulsion)
- Pivoting injury during sports (sudden direction change with foot planted)
- Non-contact twisting injury landing from jump in basketball, netball, football
- Direct blow to knee combined with twisting force
â ī¸Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Participation in pivoting sports (basketball, netball, soccer, skiing)
- Previous ACL injury to opposite knee
- Female athletes (2-8 times higher ACL tear risk than males)
- Poor neuromuscular control or landing mechanics
đĄī¸Prevention
- âACL injury prevention programs (FIFA 11+, PEP program) - reduce ACL tears 50% in female athletes
- âNeuromuscular training focusing on landing mechanics (avoid knee valgus collapse)
- âStrengthen hamstrings and quadriceps (balanced muscle strength protects ACL)
- âPlyometric training to improve jump-landing control