Background: Little League throwing guidelines have recently been implemented in an attempt to lessen the growing number of elbow injuries occurring in youth baseball players.
Hypothesis/purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine pre- and postseason changes seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in youth baseball players' elbows in an attempt to identify risk factors for pain and MRI abnormalities, with a particular focus on the current Little League guidelines. We hypothesized that MRI abnormalities would be common in pitchers with high pitch counts and poor guideline compliance.
Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.
Methods: A prospective study of Little League players aged 10 to 13 years was performed. Players were recruited prior to the start of the season and underwent bilateral elbow MRI as well as a physical examination and completed a questionnaire addressing their playing history and arm pain. At the end of the season, a repeat MRI and physical examination were performed. MRIs were read by blinded radiologists. During the season, player statistics including innings played, pitch counts, and guideline compliance were recorded. Physical examination findings and player statistics were compared between subjects with and without MRI changes utilizing chi-square and analysis of variance techniques.
Results: Twenty-six players were enrolled. Despite 100% compliance with pitching guidelines, 12 players (48%) had abnormal MRI findings, and 28% experienced pain during the season. There was a significant difference in distal humeral physeal width measured pre- to postseason (1.54 vs 2.31 mm, < .001). There was a significant loss of shoulder internal rotation during the season, averaging 11°. While pitch counts, player position, and throwing curveballs/sliders were not significantly associated with changes seen on MRI, year-round play was associated with abnormalities ( < .05). Much lower compliance (<50%) was observed with nonenforced guidelines, including avoidance of single-sport specialization, year-round play, and throwing curveballs/sliders.
Conclusion: Arm pain and MRI abnormalities of the medial elbow are common in Little League baseball players who comply with the Little League throwing guidelines, especially those playing year-round.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5439649 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2325967117704851 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Feasibility of very low iodine dose aortoiliac CT angiography using dual-source photon-counting detector CT.
Eur J Radiol
January 2025
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA. Electronic address:
Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of aortoiliac CT-Angiography (CTA) using dual-source photon-counting detector (PCD)-CT with minimal iodine dose.
Methods: This IRB-approved, single-center prospective study enrolled patients with indications for aortoiliac CTA from December 2022 to March 2023. All scans were performed using a first-generation dual-source PCD-CT.
Virtual Monoenergetic Imaging of Thoracoabdominal Computed Tomography Angiography on Photon-Counting Detector Computertomography: Assessment of Image Quality and Leveraging Low-keV Series for Salvaging Suboptimal Contrast Acquisitions.
Diagnostics (Basel)
December 2024
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Augsburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156 Augsburg, Germany.
Background: The aim of this study was to assess the possibility of image improvement of ECG-gated, high-pitch computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the thoracoabdominal aorta before transaortic valve replacement (TAVR) on a novel dual-source photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) in the setting of suboptimal low-contrast attenuation.
Methods: Continuously examined patients who underwent an ECG-gated, high-pitch CTA of the aorta on a PCD-CT with a contrast decrease of at least 50% between the ascending aorta and the common femoral arteries (CFA) were included. Patient characteristics were documented.
Return to Performance After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery in Major League Baseball Pitchers.
Am J Sports Med
January 2025
Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA.
Article Synopsis
- The study assesses the return to performance of MLB pitchers after undergoing ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery using advanced analytics and pitch-tracking metrics.
- At 1, 2, and 3 years post-surgery, the data showed that only 1.6% of pitchers returned to play within the first year, but the rates increased significantly to 71.9% at 2 years and 82.0% at 3 years.
- The research highlights the importance of modern metrics, examining factors like expected fielding independent pitching and velocity, to evaluate pitchers' recovery and performance levels after surgery.
Iterative clustering material decomposition aided by empirical spectral correction for photon counting detectors in micro-CT.
J Med Imaging (Bellingham)
December 2024
University of Houston, Department of Physics, Houston, Texas, United States.
Purpose: Photon counting detectors offer promising advancements in computed tomography (CT) imaging by enabling the quantification and three-dimensional imaging of contrast agents and tissue types through simultaneous multi-energy projections from broad X-ray spectra. However, the accuracy of these decomposition methods hinges on precise composite spectral attenuation values that one must reconstruct from spectral micro-CT. Errors in such estimations could be due to effects such as beam hardening, object scatter, or detector sensor-related spectral distortions such as fluorescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltra-low-dose coronary computed tomography angiography using photon-counting detector computed tomography.
Eur Heart J Imaging Methods Pract
July 2024
Department of Advanced Diagnostic Imaging, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
Aims: Photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT), which allows the exclusion of electronic noise, shows promise for significant dose reduction in coronary CT angiography (CCTA). This study aimed to assess the radiation dose and image quality of CCTA using PCD-CT, combined with high-pitch helical scanning and an ultra-low tube potential of 70 kVp, and investigate the effect of a sharp kernel on image quality and stenosis assessment in such an ultra-low-dose CCTA setting.
Methods And Results: Forty patients (65% male) with stable heart rates and no prior coronary interventions were included.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!