A Radiological Study of the Elbow in Professional Baseball Players

Rowe, Sung Man; Kim, Sang Chae; Lim, Chae Joon

Abstract

Bony changes about the elbow in the baseball players are common problem. Pure bony injuries occur in the elbow of the throwing arm, but most often they have some associated soft tissue counterpart. The importance to understand the elbow lesion in baseball players is that many of this lesion seem mild at onset and can often be easily managed, but permanent disability can result from the delayed or inadequate treatment. The authors have performed radiological study in 32 professional baseball players and obstained following result. 1. Among 32 baseball players we studied, twenty-four plsyers(75.0%) had 41 bony changes in the throwing elbow. 2. Forty one bony changes were classified into three groups by Slocum classificstion,;twenty nine medial tension overload injury, eleven extensor overload injury and one lateral compression injury. 3. Incidences of bony changes in each age group were 63.6#% in 20~24 years, 71.4% in 25~29 years and 100% in 30~35 years of age. 4. Incidences of bony changes in each csreer group were 63.6% in 10~14 years, 69.2% in 15~19 years and 100% in 20~25 years of career. 5. Incidences of bony changes in each position were 72.7% in the piteher and 76.2% in the fielder. 6. In conclusion, the best treatment is prevention, namely, exercise to increase the stren- gth, flexibility, and endurance of elbow musculature, which should be coupled with attention to proper mechanics of throwing. If an injury does take place, prompt treatment consisting rest, physical therapy and appropriate medicstion when indicated-should lead to a successful result in most cases.