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Shoulder Injuries in the Throwing Athlete

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Orthopedic Sports Medicine

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Abstract

An understanding of the fundamentals of the throwing motion is essential in order to accurately diagnose and treat shoulder disorders of overhead-throwing athletes. Improper throwing technique or fatigue of any muscles along the kinetic chain leads to muscular imbalance and injury over time. In particular, fatigue of the shoulder-girdle stabilizers can lead to scapular dyskinesia and thus to impingement. Anterior shoulder pain during cocking and acceleration is associated with anterior shoulder instability or impingement, whereas pain during deceleration and follow- through suggests posterior shoulder pathology. Microinstability and repetitive shear stresses often result in pathologic anterior capsule laxity and posterior capsule contracture, all of which contribute to secondary and internal impingement, and subsequently to SLAP tears and partial-thickness articular-sided rotator cuff tears. In the pediatric population, the growth plate is comparatively weaker and thus vulnerable to injury from repetitive microtrauma.

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Authors
  1. S. Cheung
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  2. C. B. Ma
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences Unit of Orthopedics and Sports Traumatology, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy

    Fabrizio Margheritini

  2. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology Mauriziano “Umberto I” Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Roberto Rossi

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Italia

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Cheung, S., Ma, C.B. (2011). Shoulder Injuries in the Throwing Athlete. In: Margheritini, F., Rossi, R. (eds) Orthopedic Sports Medicine. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1702-3_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1702-3_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-1701-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-1702-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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