# Partial Tear of the Common Flexor Tendon and Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament in a Six-Year-Old After a Minor Traumatic Injury: A Case Report

**Authors:** Zainab Almumen, Tareq Almukhlafi

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.102068 · 2026-01-22

## TL;DR

A six-year-old boy recovered fully from a rare elbow injury involving the medial ulnar collateral ligament and common flexor tendon after a minor trauma.

## Contribution

This case report documents a rare pediatric elbow injury and its successful non-surgical treatment.

## Key findings

- A six-year-old boy had a partial tear of the common flexor tendon and medial ulnar collateral ligament.
- The patient fully recovered after a short immobilization period and gradual resumption of activities.
- No long-term complications were observed at one and three-month follow-ups.

## Abstract

Acute traumatic medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) injury, associated with a high-grade sprain of the common flexor tendon and a low-grade sprain of the annular ligament, is an uncommon occurrence in the non-athletic pediatric demographic. At present, there is a lack of high-quality, evidence-based research that details comparable injuries. Furthermore, to our knowledge, there are no established guidelines that provide direction for the optimal treatment of this specific injury.

We report a case involving a six-year-old boy who suffered an acute traumatic MUCL injury to his right elbow. This injury was associated with a high-grade injury to the common flexor tendon, alongside a low-grade sprain of the annular ligament and a minor tear of the ulnar nerve. The patient exhibited persistent pain and a limited range of motion. He received treatment that included a brief period of immobilization, after which he gradually resumed his daily activities without any restrictions. Follow-up visits after one month and three months indicated a complete resolution of pain and a full recovery of the elbow’s range of motion.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** pain (MESH:D010146), medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) injury (MESH:D020424), injury to the common flexor tendon (MESH:D052582), Traumatic Injury (MESH:D014947), sprain of (MESH:D013180), Ligament (MESH:D000082122)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12828433/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12828433