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Labral Injury and Posterior Impingement in Elite Tennis Players

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Tennis Medicine

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Abstract

The repetition of the abduction-external rotation movement of the arm during the overhead action carries an increased risk of overloading various structures around the shoulder. Pathologic contact between the posterior margin of the glenoid and the articular surface of posterosuperior rotator cuff tendons is known as posterior internal impingement. The chronic repeated compression or impingement leads to articular tears of the rotator cuff tendons as well as lesion of the superior labrum. Every overhead athlete requires a training program that strengthens all elements of the kinetic chain of the throwing motion. Patients with mild symptoms and early phases of the disorder need active rest, including a complete break from throwing along with physical therapy. Conservative management of SLAP lesions is often the first line of treatment. However, frequently, rehabilitation is unsuccessful; therefore, surgical intervention is often warranted to repair the labral lesion while addressing any concomitant pathology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Concordia Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Di Giacomo

  2. Concordia Hospital for Special Surgery, Rome, Italy

    Nicola de Gasperis

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  1. Giovanni Di Giacomo
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  1. Dept of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Concordia Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Di Giacomo

  2. ATP World Tour, Rehab Plus Sports Therapy Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

    Todd S. Ellenbecker

  3. Lexington Clinic Orthopedics, Lexington, KY, USA

    W. Ben Kibler

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Di Giacomo, G., de Gasperis, N. (2018). Labral Injury and Posterior Impingement in Elite Tennis Players. In: Di Giacomo, G., Ellenbecker, T., Kibler, W. (eds) Tennis Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71498-1_14

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