The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report
Abstract Background The clay-shoveler fracture, named after Australian clay shovelers from the 1930s, results from high-energy, repetitive pulling mechanisms and is commonly associated with shoveling or digging. This injury primarily affects the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae, particula...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f1c1ae194eb54826a4ab120cf07a7587 2024-09-15T18:35:47+00:00 The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report Juan Sebastián Reyes Bello Diego Fernando Castiblanco Varón Jose Luis Rozo Saavedra Claudia Marcela Restrepo Lugo Juan Nicolas Perez Mendez Luis Rafael Moscote Salazar 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 https://doaj.org/article/f1c1ae194eb54826a4ab120cf07a7587 EN eng SpringerOpen https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 https://doaj.org/toc/2520-8225 doi:10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 2520-8225 https://doaj.org/article/f1c1ae194eb54826a4ab120cf07a7587 Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery, Vol 39, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2024) Spinous process Fracture Cervical spine Thoracic spine Occupational injuries Case report Surgery RD1-811 Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry RC321-571 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 2024-08-05T17:49:34Z Abstract Background The clay-shoveler fracture, named after Australian clay shovelers from the 1930s, results from high-energy, repetitive pulling mechanisms and is commonly associated with shoveling or digging. This injury primarily affects the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae, particularly the C7 and T1 vertebrae. The avulsion mechanism, caused by stress on the spinous processes, may lead to sudden, severe upper back pain, limiting the affected individual’s ability to work effectively. Case presentation This report presents the case of a 27-year-old boiler operator who experienced persistent neck pain, which did not respond to conservative management. Imaging studies revealed a T1 spinous process fracture with associated soft tissue edema, diagnosed as a clay-shoveler fracture. Conventional treatment with a semirigid cervical collar, analgesia, and rest was administered, leading to a favorable outcome. The clay-shoveler fracture, though rare, should be considered in cases involving repetitive stress on the cervical and thoracic spine, especially in occupations that require heavy lifting. In most instances, conservative management proves effective in relieving pain and enabling recovery. Conclusion Recognizing the clay-shoveler fracture is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment. This case report underscores the occupational nature of the injury and its association with specific work activities. Further research and reporting of similar cases will contribute to a deeper understanding of this unusual fracture pattern, its risk factors, and optimal management strategies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Shoveler Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery 39 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Spinous process Fracture Cervical spine Thoracic spine Occupational injuries Case report Surgery RD1-811 Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry RC321-571 |
spellingShingle |
Spinous process Fracture Cervical spine Thoracic spine Occupational injuries Case report Surgery RD1-811 Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry RC321-571 Juan Sebastián Reyes Bello Diego Fernando Castiblanco Varón Jose Luis Rozo Saavedra Claudia Marcela Restrepo Lugo Juan Nicolas Perez Mendez Luis Rafael Moscote Salazar The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
topic_facet |
Spinous process Fracture Cervical spine Thoracic spine Occupational injuries Case report Surgery RD1-811 Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry RC321-571 |
description |
Abstract Background The clay-shoveler fracture, named after Australian clay shovelers from the 1930s, results from high-energy, repetitive pulling mechanisms and is commonly associated with shoveling or digging. This injury primarily affects the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae, particularly the C7 and T1 vertebrae. The avulsion mechanism, caused by stress on the spinous processes, may lead to sudden, severe upper back pain, limiting the affected individual’s ability to work effectively. Case presentation This report presents the case of a 27-year-old boiler operator who experienced persistent neck pain, which did not respond to conservative management. Imaging studies revealed a T1 spinous process fracture with associated soft tissue edema, diagnosed as a clay-shoveler fracture. Conventional treatment with a semirigid cervical collar, analgesia, and rest was administered, leading to a favorable outcome. The clay-shoveler fracture, though rare, should be considered in cases involving repetitive stress on the cervical and thoracic spine, especially in occupations that require heavy lifting. In most instances, conservative management proves effective in relieving pain and enabling recovery. Conclusion Recognizing the clay-shoveler fracture is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment. This case report underscores the occupational nature of the injury and its association with specific work activities. Further research and reporting of similar cases will contribute to a deeper understanding of this unusual fracture pattern, its risk factors, and optimal management strategies. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Juan Sebastián Reyes Bello Diego Fernando Castiblanco Varón Jose Luis Rozo Saavedra Claudia Marcela Restrepo Lugo Juan Nicolas Perez Mendez Luis Rafael Moscote Salazar |
author_facet |
Juan Sebastián Reyes Bello Diego Fernando Castiblanco Varón Jose Luis Rozo Saavedra Claudia Marcela Restrepo Lugo Juan Nicolas Perez Mendez Luis Rafael Moscote Salazar |
author_sort |
Juan Sebastián Reyes Bello |
title |
The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
title_short |
The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
title_full |
The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
title_fullStr |
The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
title_full_unstemmed |
The clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
title_sort |
clay-shoveler’s fracture, a rare occupational injury in the modern era: a case report |
publisher |
SpringerOpen |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 https://doaj.org/article/f1c1ae194eb54826a4ab120cf07a7587 |
genre |
Shoveler |
genre_facet |
Shoveler |
op_source |
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery, Vol 39, Iss 1, Pp 1-7 (2024) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 https://doaj.org/toc/2520-8225 doi:10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 2520-8225 https://doaj.org/article/f1c1ae194eb54826a4ab120cf07a7587 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41984-024-00291-8 |
container_title |
Egyptian Journal of Neurosurgery |
container_volume |
39 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1810478996080558080 |