A Narrative Review of Little League Shoulder: Proximal Humeral Physis Widening Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle, It Is Time To Consider Posterior Glenoid Dysplasia

Authors

• Natalie L Myers
• Sean M Kennedy
• Amanda J Arnold
• Zachary A Gehring
• Kaylin J Kruseman
• John E Conway
• Russ M Paine
• Lane B Bailey
• J Craig Garrison

Language

English

Publication Date

7-1-2024

Journal

JSES International

DOI

10.1016/j.jseint.2024.03.006

PMID

39035657

PMCID

PMC11258838

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

3-28-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Baseball athletes across all levels of play are at an increased risk for upper extremity injury due to the supraphysiologic demands on the shoulder and elbow during overhead throwing. Little league baseball players present with a unique subset of injuries that can affect the growth plate, commonly at the shoulder or the elbow. Ascertaining a diagnosis and plan of care for little league shoulder (LLS) historically focuses on the proximal humeral physis in skeletally immature throwing athletes presenting with shoulder pain. However, while not a current standard of care, posterior glenoid dysplasia is often present in youth baseball athletes presenting with LLS, warranting a shift in the way clinicians evaluate for and treat the youth baseball athlete's pathologic shoulder. Therefore, purpose of this narrative review is 2-fold: first, to describe the current standard of care as it relates to a diagnosis of LLS, and second, to critically describe a comprehensive evaluation process for youth throwing athletes with shoulder pain that includes screening for evidence of posterior glenoid dysplasia. This paper summarizes the current state of the available evidence for anatomic considerations of LLS in the baseball athletes throwing shoulder. Additionally, we provide a framework for clinical evaluation using a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate the entire kinetic chain of the youth baseball athlete presenting with LLS and posterior glenoid dysplasia. A case study is presented to describe common presentations, clinical and objective examinations, and a plan of care from time of evaluation to return to throwing.

Keywords

Glenoid dysplasia, Baseball, Little league shoulder, Immature skeleton, Humeral physis, Apophysitis

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Myers, Natalie L; Kennedy, Sean M; Arnold, Amanda J; et al., "A Narrative Review of Little League Shoulder: Proximal Humeral Physis Widening Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle, It Is Time To Consider Posterior Glenoid Dysplasia" (2024). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 4000.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthmed_docs/4000