Ependymoma as a Cause of Low Back Pain in a Young Healthy Athlete

Young athletes with exercise-associated, acute low back pain are likely to be symptomatic from musculoskeletal trauma. Those who experience more insidious pain or pain not associated with physical activity must be assessed for infectious, inflammatory, or mass lesions. We present an adolescent athlete who was suspected of an overuse syndrome as the cause for low back pain. The case illustrates the potential hazard of such a presumptive diagnosis. The patient was found to have a myxopapillary ependymoma of the lumbar spine. This case emphasizes the importance of follow-up care.