Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Reconstruction at the Myotendinous Junction With Acellular Dermal Allograft

Background: Limited available data have shown latissimus dorsi tendon reconstruction to be an effective treatment for tendon tears in specific subpopulations of elite overhead throwing athletes. Indications: Primary indication for latissimus dorsi tendon reconstruction is a symptomatic, full-thickness humeral avulsion with or without a concomitant teres major tendon tear. Surgical candidates are typically young, high-demand, elite or professional overhead throwing athletes. In this case, the patient is a 29-year-old male former minor league pitcher and current pitching coach with a full-thickness avulsion of the latissimus dorsi tendon. Technique Description: The patient was positioned left lateral decubitus with a dynamic limb positioner maintaining the arm in 90° abduction and maximal internal rotation. This technique used a single posterior axillary incision, which was performed and dissected down to the ruptured latissimus dorsi tendon. We circumferentially applied an acellular dermal allograft to augment the reconstruction at the myotendinous junction. Subsequently, the construct was prepared for transfer with a Krackow suture technique. Suture buttons were used to secure the reconstructed latissimus dorsi tendon to the anatomic footprint on the proximal humerus with a tension slide technique. Results: One case series showed return to the previous level of competition for all baseball pitchers who underwent a latissimus dorsi reconstruction with excellent improvement in visual analog scale pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic scores. Another larger study demonstrated equal return to play rates for professional baseball pitchers with a latissimus dorsi tear treated either nonoperatively or operatively. However, those treated operatively had no decline in performance, whereas the nonoperative cohort saw decline in some statistics. Conclusion: Latissimus dorsi tendon reconstruction using an acellular dermal allograft at the myotendinous junction is a viable treatment option for elite overhead throwing athletes with full-thickness tendon avulsions. It allows for full return to play, particularly if the patient has failed nonoperative management.

Clinical and Imaging evaluation of rotator cuff tendons in Elite Waterpolo player

Background: Rotator cuff structural changes are common in overhead throwing athletes, such as baseball, javelin, swimming, volleyball, by increasing the risk of shoulder pain and injury. The structural alterations in elite waterpolo players are not well known. In elite waterpolo athletes there are structural alterations of rotator cuff tendons due to overuse of the dominant shoulder compared to the non-dominant, like in other overhead disciplines, identifiable by ultrasound (US).Methods: Asymptomatic elite men waterpolo players were selected. All athletes were evaluated with standardized scales of shoulder pain and function (Oxford Shoulder Score, Constant Shoulder Score) and provided data of training, injury and shoulder pain history. Each athlete underwent clinical evaluation of shoulders followed by US of rotator cuff, biceps and bursas. Results: Twenty-three athletes met the inclusion criteria, mean age 24.2±3.3. Fourteen athletes (61%) presented higher degeneration grade at the dominant supraspinatus compared to the contralateral, always in the same area in outfield players: anterior, lateral, pre-insertional. In twenty-two (95%) the biceps tendon was damaged: Twenty athletes (87%) bilaterally, two (9%) at the only dominant limb. The site was always at the bicipital groove in its insertion on the humerus. Power Doppler (PD) evidenced neovascularization in only five (22%) players at supraspinatus: four bilaterally, one only at the non-dominant. No statistical correlation was found between tendon degeneration and age, career years.Conclusion: Outfield waterpolo players have peculiar changes in supraspinatus at preinsertional level, as seen in other overhead throwing athletes. We found changes also in biceps, bilaterally, like in shoulders of elite swimmers. We suppose that these changes are predictive of shoulder pain and injury.

Immediate effect of combining glenohumeral and scapulothoracic mobilization with stretching on improving shoulder internal rotation in overhead throwing athletes with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit: A randomized clinical trial study

BACKGROUND: Posterior shoulder tightness as demonstrated by glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) is a common contributor to many shoulder pathologies in overhead throwing athletes. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess immediate effect of combining glenohumeral and scapulothoracic mobilization with stretching on improving internal rotation range of motion (ROM) in overhead athletes with GIRD METHODS: This study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. The participants were 30 asymptomatic male volleyball players who had a loss of shoulder internal rotation ROM of 15 degrees or more on their dominant compared to their nondominant side. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: stretching only (n = 15) or stretching plus joint mobilization (n = 15). Participants in the stretching group performed cross-body stretches, and those in stretching plus mobilization group were treated with both cross-body stretching and mobilization techniques for the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints. Both groups received the intervention every other day for 1 week. Shoulder internal and external ROM were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Before the intervention, dominant-side deficits in internal rotation ROM compared to the nondominant side were 20.11±5.27 degrees in the stretching group and 21.87±8.06 degrees in the stretching plus mobilization group. After the intervention, internal rotation ROM deficit between the dominant and nondominant side decreased to 11.28±5.82 in the stretching group (P < 0.001) and 10.85±9.19 in the stretching plus mobilization group (P < 0.001). However, the between-group difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.389). External rotation ROM remained unchanged in both groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both interventions (stretching and stretching plus mobilization) can have the same beneficial effect in decreasing GIRD in asymptomatic overhead athletes.

Return to Play Rates Following Arthroscopic Treatment of Elbow Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions in Adolescent Baseball Players

Objectives: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the humeral capitellum is a common elbow injury in adolescent overhead throwing athletes likely secondary to the excessive valgus stress placed on the joint during the throwing motion. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively investigate the clinical findings and outcomes, including return to play rates, of overhead throwing athletes who underwent elbow arthroscopy for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of elbow. Methods: Throwing athletes who underwent elbow arthroscopy over an eight-year period, 2010 to 2018, were identified and included in our analysis. From this cohort of patients, those who were treated for OCD of the elbow joint and were baseball players were selected for analysis. Non-baseball athletes and those who underwent a concurrent procedure that required an open approach were excluded. Patients were contacted via phone to complete the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score (KJOC), the Mayo Elbow Score as well as a custom return to play and re-injury questionnaire. The minimum follow-up was 2 years from arthroscopic treatment. Results: Twenty patients met the inclusion criteria and were assessed in this analysis. All of the patients were male with an average BMI of 24.7 (range, 17.8-36.6). The average age at the time of surgery was 15.8 years old (range, 11.7-19.9). All 20 athletes played baseball pre-operatively and had no injury history or previous elbow surgery. Two patients had complications post-operatively. One patient received surgery for contracture release and debridement 7 months post-operatively. The other patient had a repeat arthroscopic microfracture procedure 4 months post-operatively followed by placement of an osteochondral allograft 11 months post-operatively for continued symptoms. Furthermore, three patients sustained an injury to the throwing shoulder or elbow after the operation. Two patients reported that the post-operative injury was throwing-related. One sustained an elbow stress fracture which was treated non-operatively while the other had a UCL reconstruction at 48 months post-operatively. The last patient reported sustaining an acromioclavicular joint separation that was treated operatively but not related to baseball or throwing. A total of 16 patients were available to complete the assessment. The average final follow-up was 5.5 (2.1-10.2) years with average KJOC of 64.6 (range, 13.9-97.0) and a Mayo Elbow Score of 90.0 (range, 60-100). Following surgery, 13/16 (81.2%) patients were able to return to their pre-injury sport and all returned to the same or higher level of competition. Seven patients reported improved symptoms, eight reported resolution of symptoms and one reported worsening of their symptoms after surgery. Overall patients were quite satisfied with their surgery, reporting an average 85.6% satisfaction rating. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that elbow arthroscopy for osteochondral lesions in overhead throwing athletes is a reliable operation with 81.2% of athletes returning at the same or higher level of competition with low re-operation rates. In addition, these results boast a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction rate following elbow arthroscopy for OCD.

Return-to-Competition Criteria After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is common among overhead throwing athletes and can result in significant functional limitations. While surgical reconstruction offers high rates of return to competition, there are no validated or universally accepted guidelines for determining when an athlete can safely resume play. Purpose: To assess the existing scientific literature for return-to-competition criteria utilized after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The PubMed database was searched for clinical investigations of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in overhead throwing athletes published between January 2000 and June 2020. Only studies that had a minimum follow-up of 1 year and included at least 1 specific return-to-competition criterion were considered. Results: A total of 15 studies were included in the final analysis, encompassing 1156 patients with an average age of 20.7 years (SD, 2.0 years). Baseball players composed 96.3% of patients for whom sport was specified, and 92.4% of baseball players were pitchers. The most common return-to-competition criterion, identified in 87% of studies, was completion of a return-to-throwing program, which started on average 16.7 weeks (range, 12-18 weeks) after surgery. A return-to-mound program was utilized in 53% of studies, starting on average 7.4 months (range, 6-9 months) postoperatively. Minimum time from surgery was used in 73% studies, with players waiting 7 to 12 months (mean, 9.7; SD, 1.4 months) after surgery before return-to-competition consideration. The overall rate of return to competition at the preinjury level or higher was 85.7% (SD, 8.5%) at an average of 12.2 months (SD, 0.6 months). Conclusion: In general, we observed a paucity of literature describing the return-to-competition process after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in overhead throwing athletes. Only 3 explicit return-to-competition criteria were identified across all studies: completion of a return-to-throwing program, completion of a return-to-mound program for pitchers, and minimum time from surgery. Increased transparency regarding postoperative rehabilitation protocols and further research are necessary to identify and validate sport-specific return-to-competition criteria, which will ultimately help athletes return to play in a safe and timely fashion after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.

Junior and Collegiate Tennis Players Display Similar Bilateral Asymmetries of Humeral Retroversion

ABSTRACT Context: Overhead throwing athletes consistently display significant bilateral differences in humeral retroversion (HRV). However, there is limited evidence regarding HRV asymmetries in tennis players despite similarities between the overhead throw and tennis serve. Objective: To determine if junior and collegiate tennis players demonstrate bilateral differences in HRV, and whether the magnitude of the side-to-side difference (HRVΔ) was similar across different age groups. Design: Cross-Sectional Study Setting: Field-Based Patients or Other Participants: Thirty-nine healthy tennis players were stratified into three age groups: Younger Juniors (n = 11; age = 14.5 ± 0.5 years), Older Juniors (n = 12; age = 17.1 ± 0.9 years), and Collegiate (n = 16; age = 19.6 ± 1.2 years). Main Outcome Measures: Three-trial means were calculated for HRV for the dominant and nondominant limbs, and HRVΔ was calculated by subtracting the mean of the nondominant side from the dominant side. Paired-sample t-tests were utilized to determine bilateral differences in HRV, while a one-way ANOVA was used to compare HRVΔ between groups. Results: For all three groups, HRV was significantly greater in the dominant arm compared to the nondominant arm (Younger Juniors: dominant = 62.8° ± 9.1° vs nondominant = 56.3° ± 6.8°, P = .039; Older Juniors: dominant = 75.5° ± 11.2° vs nondominant = 68.6° ± 14.2°, P = .043; Collegiate: dominant = 71.7° ± 8.5° vs nondominant = 61.2° ± 6.9°, P = .001). However, no significant differences were detected in HRVΔ when compared across age groups (P = .511). Conclusions: Consistent with studies involving overhead throwing athletes, tennis players demonstrated significantly greater measures of HRV in the dominant limb. Further, the development of HRV asymmetries appear to have occurred prior to the teenage years as no changes were observed in HRVΔ between age groups.