[C-type scaphoid fracture in a elite power lifting].

Power lifting injuries most often involve shoulder injuries with an injury rate of 0.57 to 0.71/1000 hours of power lifting. Wrist injuries are less common in power lifters with 0.05/1000 hours exposure vs. 0.23/1000 h in elite weight lifting men. Often, two contributing factors causing wrist injuries are encountered: a) loss of balance causing the barbell to drift back behind the head of the power lifter, which hyperextends the wrist and b) the maximal weight. We report on an elite power lifting athlete preparing for the World Masters Bench press championships suffering two months of persisting pain during bench press exercise and rest in the snuff-box area following a loss of balance of the bar-bell during bench press with 280 kg load. Following prolonged presentation 2 months after the initial injury with training in the meantime, CT-scan was performed revealing a C-type scaphoid fracture. Surgery was performed as Herbert screw fixation and bone grafting according to the technique of Matti-Russe, followed by an immobilisation of twelve weeks with a plaster. We recommended ending the athletes' power lifting career, however he further exercised with the plaster with consecutive re-operation 3months later and 2nd Matti-Russe and Herbert screw re-do. One year later he became national champion with 240 kg bench pressing. Given the limited scaphoid blood supply and the high complication rate especially among C-type scaphoid fractures, a surgical procedure with bone grafting, Herbert screw fixation and sufficient plaster immobilisation is advocated in scaphoid fractures in elite athletes.