Myositis Ossificans! That’s a mouthful!
“Myositis Ossificans” (MO) sounds like a fictional term but it is by no means a rare condition. MO, for lack of a better term, is when muscle tissue begins to ossify (i.e. turn to bone) following a traumatic injury. Generally, a direct, forceful trauma is involved (eg. a hockey player receives a knee-on-thigh injury during a game). Typically a large, deep muscular group is involved, such as the quadricep or hamstring muscles. In most cases, one would see a large discoloured area associated with a very significant bruise following the trauma. Internally, the body will begin to turn muscle to bone at the healing site. Over time, a “hard” lump can be palpated (as the body lays more and more bone) at the injured area. The reason why MO occurs is not well understood at this time. The thought is that following the injury the body gets “confused” and as a result it begins to lay bone at the site of injury. As more bone is laid down, the function of the muscle may become affected leading to pain as the muscle is used. This can prevent athletes from returning to sport or even end careers!
In order to minimize the likelihood of developing and/or exacerbating MO, after an acute traumatic event to a muscle, an individual should not return to sport and should ice and immobilize the affected area. I also recommend immediately booking an appointment with a healthcare provider so that the injury can be thoroughly examined and assessed. The healthcare provider can determine if you are at risk of developing MO or if it is in progress. Also, the healthcare provider can provide advice and offer conservative (i.e. “non-surgical”) interventions to manage the tissue trauma. However, in serious or not properly managed cases, surgery may be indicated in order to remove the bone from the affected muscle.
If you think you may be at risk of developing MO, please contact our office to book an assessment with one of our amazing therapists!
Author: Dr. Paolo De Ciantis, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc., D.C.