Korean J Sports Med.  2016 Jun;34(1):28-35. 10.5763/kjsm.2016.34.1.28.

Sonoelastography on Supraspinatus Muscle-Tendon and Long Head of Biceps Tendon in Korean Professional Baseball Pitchers

• Oh JH
• Kim JY
• Kim DH
• Kim YI
• Cho JH

• KMID: 2361666
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2016.34.1.28

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the change of supraspinatus muscle and tendon as well as biceps tendon after pitching in Korean professional baseball league pitchers by the application of sonoelastography. A total of 10 pitchers from Korean professional league were evaluated their supraspinatus muscle and tendon and long head of biceps tendon of dominant arm by sonoelastography at all-star break period. After one month later, re-evaluations were performed after pitching in the game. The strain ratio of supraspinatus muscle and tendon (red portion, soft; blue portion, hard), thickness of supraspinatus and long head of biceps tendons were evaluated. For the correlation analysis with pitching, numbers of pitches, maximal velocity, maximal difference of velocity and ratio of breaking balls among pitches were investigated. The strain ratios of supraspinatus muscle, thickness of supraspinatus and long head of biceps tendon were decreased but not statistically significant. However, the strain ratio of red portion in supraspinatus tendon was significantly increased. There were no correlations between sonoelastograpic findings and pitches.

Keyword

Baseball; Supraspinatus; Biceps; Sonoelastography

MeSH Terms

Arm
Baseball*
Elasticity Imaging Techniques*
Head*
Tendons*

Figure

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  Fig. 1. The subject was on chair with his dominant arm at side during the examination.

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  Fig. 2. Measurement of strain ratio of supraspinatus muscle. Reference box (rectangle box) was located at the subcutaneous fat layer (closed arrow) and the same size of target boxes were located at red portion of supraspinatus muscle (closed arrow with dashed line) and blue portion of supraspinatus muscle (open arrow).

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  Fig. 3. Measurement of strain ratio of supraspinatus tendon (A), thickness of suprasinatus tendon (B) and biceps long head tendon (C). As in the manners with the measurement of strain ratio in supraspinatus muscle, reference box was located at subcutaneous fat layer (closed arrow), and target boxes were located at red (closed arrow with dashed line) and blue portion of supraspinatus tendon (open arrow) (A). The thickness of supraspinatus tendon (yellow dashed line) was measured with highest thickness at superior facet of greater tuberosity (B) and thickness of biceps long head tendon (yellow dashed line) was measured in the long axis view (C).

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  Fig. 4. The change of strain ratio after pitching compared to all-star break period at red and blue portion of supraspinatus muscle and tendon. SS: supraspinatus.

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  Fig. 5. The change of thickness of supraspinatus tendon and biceps long head tendon after pitching compared to all-star break period. SS: supraspinatus, Bc: biceps brachii.

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