Background
Overhead‐throwing athletes are at risk of elbow injury because of valgus stress, leading to unstable ulnar nerves and neuropathy. Studies regarding ulnar nerve damage/displacement have been performed primarily in adults.
Objective
To determine the prevalence and related factors associated with ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow in young baseball players.
Design
Cross‐sectional study.
Participants
Youth baseball players ages 10–12 years were eligible to participate. Exclusion criteria were history of neuropathic pain, trauma, or prior surgery of the upper limb. Fifty‐seven participants were eligible for inclusion in the study.
Main Outcome Measurements
Demographic data and ultrasonography findings of ulnar nerve dynamics at the cubital tunnel were analyzed in a total of 114 elbows. Elbows were grouped into nondislocation and displacement (subluxation or dislocation) groups according to ultrasound findings. Logistic generalized estimating equations were used to identify factors associated with ulnar nerve displacement.
Results
Thirty‐six (31.6%) elbows demonstrated sonographic findings of ulnar nerve displacement, with 13 (11.4%) subluxations and 23 (20.2%) dislocations. Fourteen (24.6%) participants experienced nerve displacement in the dominant elbow only, whereas nerve displacement in both elbows occurred in 11 (19.3%) participants. Nerve displacement in the nondominant elbow only was not observed. Hand dominance and tenderness of the arcade of Struthersʼ were factors associated with ulnar nerve displacement (odds ratio, 2.81, and 9.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–5.91 and 2.45–38.68; p = .006 and .001, respectively).
Conclusion
One‐third of the young baseball players evaluated had ultrasonographic findings compatible with ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow. Hand dominance and tenderness of Struthers arcade were the only factors associated with ulnar nerve displacement. Ultrasound may help identify patients with ulnar nerve displacement and contribute to the understanding of its pathophysiology in young baseball players.
Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is expected to be considered as an add-on therapy for the usual rehabilitation of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). However, it remains unclear whether EMS can reduce muscle volume loss in patients with acute HF (AHF) immediately after hospitalization. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate if EMS could reduce the lower-limb muscle volume loss in patients with AHF. In this single-center, retrospective, observational study, lower-limb skeletal muscle volume, quadriceps muscle layer thickness, and clinical events (worsening HF or kidney function) were evaluated in 45 patients with AHF (mean age, 77.4 ± 11.6 years, 31 males). All patients underwent EMS on the right leg, in addition to usual rehabilitation, for 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 2 weeks. A two-factor (time × leg) analysis of variance was performed to compare the difference between the right leg (usual rehabilitation and EMS) and left leg (usual rehabilitation only). The skeletal muscle mass decreased by 11.6% ± 19.7% from baseline in the right leg and by 20.4% ± 16.1% in the left leg (interaction; F = 4.54, P = 0.036). The quadriceps muscle layer thickness decreased by 10.2% ± 7.1% from baseline in the right leg and by 13.5% ± 6.0% in the left leg (interaction; F = 10.50, P = 0.002). No clinical events were related to EMS. Results showed that EMS combined with usual rehabilitation for patients with AHF has the potential to inhibit muscle volume loss.
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