Un'epifisiolisi misconosciuta

A 15-year-and-7-month-old boy with obesity and delayed pubertal development presents with pain and stiffness in his left hip and knee, to the point of being unable to walk. The symptoms, which began some months earlier as mild knee pain, worsened without any trauma and were initially suspected to be functional or inflammatory. Clinical and instrumental tests (X-rays, lumbar MRI, blood work) were negative. A CT scan of the lower limb ultimately revealed a slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) of the left proximal femur. The patient underwent surgical intervention (modified Dunn procedure) and started physiotherapy. SCFE is common in obese adolescent males and may be mistaken for other conditions, leading to delayed diagnosis. This case highlights how subtle clinical signs and negative test results may be misleading and emphasises the importance of considering the overall clinical picture. Earlier intervention might have prevented pain and complications.