Evaluating displacement of the coracoacromial ligament in painful shoulders of overhead athletes through dynamic ultrasonographic examination.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate displacement of the coracoacromial ligament (CAL), using dynamic ultrasonography (US), for detecting instability-related impingement caused by overhead activities.


METHODS
Between-group survey.


METHODS
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in a tertiary care center.


METHODS
Volunteer high school volleyball players with unilateral shoulder pain (n=10) and volunteer asymptomatic high school volleyball players with identical training activities as control subjects (n=16).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The displacement of the CAL was measured during throwing simulation using dynamic US. Both shoulders of all subjects were evaluated.


RESULTS
During throwing simulation, the displacement of the CAL in the painful shoulders of overhead athletes increased significantly greater than the displacement in the asymptomatic shoulder (3.0+/-0.7 mm and 2.2+/-0.4 mm, respectively; P=.017). No difference was identified between the displacements of the CALs of bilateral shoulders of the control group subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic US, by measuring the displacement of the CAL during simulation of throwing, may be helpful in detecting abnormal humeral head upward migration in overhead athletes.
Wu
Chueh-Hung
CH
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Wang
Yi-Chiang
YC
Wang
Hsing-Kuo
HK
Chen
Wen-Shiang
WS
Wang
Tyng-Guey
TG
D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D054798:Volleyball / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology