title: High-resolution ultrasound of rotator cuff and biceps reflection pulley in non-elite junior tennis players: anatomical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tennis is believed to be potentially harmful for the shoulder, therefore the purpose of this study is to evaluate the anatomy of the rotator cuff and the coraco-humeral ligament (CHL) in a-symptomatic non-elite junior tennis players with high-resolution ultrasound (US).
  
  
  METHODS
  From August 2009 to September 2010 n = 90 a-symptomatic non-elite junior tennis players (mean age ± standard deviation: 15 ± 3) and a control group of age- and sex- matched subjects were included. Shoulder assessment with a customized standardized protocol was performed. Body mass index, dominant arm, years of practice, weekly hours of training, racket weight, grip (Eastern, Western and semi-Western), kind of strings were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abnormalities were found at ultrasound in 14/90 (15%) players. Two players had supraspinatus tendinosis, two had subacromial impingement and ten had subacromial bursitis. CHL thickness resulted comparable in the dominant and non-dominant arms (11.3 ± 4.4 mm vs. 13 ± 4.2, p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that no association was present among CHL thickness and the variables evaluated. In the control group, abnormalities were found at ultrasound in 6/60 (10%) subjects (sub-acromial bursitis). No statistically significant differences between players and control group were found (p = 0.71).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a-symptomatic non-elite junior tennis players only minor shoulder abnormalities were found.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tagliafico
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cadoni
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department -DISSAL- Università di Genova, Largo Rosanna Benzi 8, 16138 Genova, Italy. bignottibianca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bignotti
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D056352:Athletes; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002062:Bursitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D013715:Tennis / Q000293:injuries*; D014463:Ultrasonography