Twenty-nine patients, who had throwing injuries of the shoulder, underwent arthroscopy of the shoulder in order to investigate the internal derangement of the shoulder. The average age was 20.5 years and the average duration of symptoms prior to arthroscopy was 8.8months.
The throwing sports involved were baseball (21), volleyball (4), tennis (2), and others (2). All patients complained of pain in the shoulder during overhead activity and did not respond to conservative therapy.
At arthroscopy, superior labrum separation was confirmed in 13 cases anterior labrum tear or disruption in seven, posterior labrum flap tear in one, and isolated rim rent of the supraspinatus in three.
Thus,24 of 29 (83%), demonstrated internal derangement of the shoulder, especially at the superior or anterior labrum portion, which were clinically similar to impingement syndrome or anterior subluxation. Thus, it was difficult to demonstrate characteristic objective findings of such throwing shoulders.
We believe that it is necessary to perform arthroscopic examination aggressively for throwing injuries to the shoulder in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.
