Thrower's Shoulder

Original Editors - Samuel Jacob Melnick

Lead Editors- Severo Saenz, Samuel Jacob Melnick, Ian Wallace, Matthew Seliga

Introduction

Throwers shoulder, internal impingement shoulder.

Overhead throwing places exceptionally high stresses on the shoulder. The thrower's shoulder must be loose enough to allow excessive external rotation but stable enough to prevent symptomatic humeral head subluxations, requiring a delicate balance between mobility and functional stability. This balance is frequently compromised and believed to lead to various types of injuries to the surrounding tissues.

Further Information

Treatment of the Thrower's shoulder is exceptionally challenging. Awareness and understanding of the throwing motion and the forces the structures are subject to are essential to diagnosis and treatment. See Throwing biomechanics

Injuries specific to throwers usually involve the labrum and the undersurface of the rotator cuff. Tissue changes are also seen in the anterior and posterior glenohumeral capsule, altering the biomechanics.

SLAP Tears

Bicep Tendinitis and Tendon Tears

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Tears

Internal Impingement

Instability

Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit (GIRD)

Scapular rotation dysfunction

The majority of patients who have been identified as having internal impingement are overhead athletes or throwing athletes (tennis, volleyball players, swimmers, or baseball players). Please redirect your reading to Internal Impingement of the Shoulder and