Abstract
Injuries and pathology to the dominant shoulder of an overhead athlete are multifactorial and complex. The stresses placed on the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints during a throw are immense. Overlapping signs and symptoms exist, making accurate diagnosis difficult for someone who is not fully aware of the complexity of the throwing mechanism. An understanding of the basic forces at work during each phase of the throwing cycle will result in an improved understanding of the possible profiles of injury. Shoulder problems can be secondary to abnormal mechanics, fatigue and imbalance of the shoulder musculature, scapular dyskinesis, capsular laxity or contracture, and repetitive microtrauma. Early discovery of symptoms and diagnosis, followed by rehabilitation with special attention to mechanics, will optimize the results of most dominant shoulder pathologies. If nonoperative management fails, arthroscopic techniques can be implemented to address many intra-articular abnormalities. A coordinated approach among athletic trainers, therapists, and physicians aids in the overall recovery of the overhead athlete.
Keyword
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Braun S, Kokmeyer D, Millett PJ. Shoulder injuries in the throwing athlete. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009;91:966–78.
Gomoll AH, Hatch GF, Millett PJ. Shoulder injuries in throwing athletes. In: Sports medicine. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006. p. 200–13.
Meister K. Injuries to the shoulder in the throwing athlete. Part one: biomechanics/pathophysiology/classification of injury. Am J Sports Med. 2000;28(2):265–75.
Meister K. Injuries to the shoulder in the throwing athlete. Part two: evaluation/treatment. Am J Sports Med. 2000;28:587–601.
Napolitano R, Brady DM. The diagnosis and treatment of shoulder injuries in the throwing athlete. J Chiropr Med. 2002;1:23–30.
Reinold MM, Gill TJ. Current concepts in the evaluation and treatment of the shoulder in overhead-throwing athletes, part 1: physical characteristics and clinical examination. Sports Health. 2010;2:39–50.
Reinold MM, Gill TJ, Wilk KE, Andrews JR. Current concepts in the evaluation and treatment of the shoulder in overhead-throwing athletes, part 2: injury prevention and treatment. Sports Health. 2010;2:101–15.
Seroyer ST, Nho SJ, Bach BR, Bush-Joseph CA, Nicholson GP, Romeo AA. The kinetic chain in overhand pitching: its potential role for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sports Health. 2009;1(2):108–20.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Noreski, M.A., Cohen, S.B. (2015). Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Overhead Athletes. In: PARK, JY. (eds) Sports Injuries to the Shoulder and Elbow. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41795-5_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41795-5_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-41794-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-41795-5
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)