Comprehensive Review of Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder.

Multidirectional instability of the shoulder can result from underlying atraumatic laxity, from repetitive microtrauma, or from a traumatic injury and often occurs in association with generalized ligamentous laxity or underlying connective tissue disorders. It is critical to differentiate multidirectional instability from unidirectional instability with or without generalized laxity to maximize treatment success. Although rehabilitation is still considered the primary treatment method for this condition, surgical treatment in the form of open inferior capsular shift or arthroscopic pancapsulolabral plication is indicated if conservative treatment fails.

Lower Extremity Muscle Injuries in the Overhead Athlete.

Purpose Of Review: Lower extremity (LE) injuries are a common source of disability and time-loss for overhead athletes, and muscles have been found to be the predominant soft tissue structure affected. The current review highlights the orthopaedic literature examining lower extremity muscle injuries in overhead athletes in regard to epidemiology, diagnosis, and conventional and emerging treatment measures.

Recent Findings: The hamstring muscles have been found to be the most commonly injured lower extremity muscle group in professional baseball, followed by the adductors, quadriceps, iliopsoas, and gastrocnemius-soleus complex.

A Comparison of Wound Complications With Surgical Treatment of Achilles Tendon Conditions Using 2 Surgical Approaches.

Background: Wound complications are a concern with the open treatment of Achilles tendon conditions. The location of the incision may impact the risk of wound complications because of its relationship to the blood supply to the skin. There is no consensus as to the safest incision location.

Comprehensive Review of Provocative and Instability Physical Examination Tests of the Shoulder.

A detailed physical examination of the shoulder is crucial in creating a diagnosis in patients who present with shoulder pain. Tests of the cervical spine, scapula, and rotator cuff muscles have already been evaluated in a previous article. This article assesses provocative and instability examination tests of the shoulder.

A Comprehensive Review of Physical Examination Tests of the Cervical Spine, Scapula, and Rotator Cuff.

A thorough physical examination of the shoulder and cervical spine is critical in establishing a focused differential diagnosis of the pathology in and around the shoulder joint. Numerous tests have been described in the literature to help improve the diagnostic accuracy of specific shoulder or cervical spine pathology. A comprehensive approach for the physical examination of the cervical spine, scapula, and rotator cuff is presented and descriptions on how the tests are performed and the evidence behind why specific tests are used in enabling improved diagnosis of shoulder pathology are discussed.