Pediatric Elbow and Wrist Pathology Related to Sports Participation

Pediatric overuse injuries are becoming more prevalent in today’s society with more children competitively playing year-round sports at a younger age. The importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment is paramount to the treatment for these injuries, second only to rest and activity modification. This article will focus on overuse injuries of the upper extremity, specifically: little league elbow, elbow osteochondritis dissecans, and gymnast wrist. It will also discuss the pathophysiology, diagnosis, imaging, and treatment of each of these entities.

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Osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans may represent a spectrum of disease based on comparative anatomy studies.

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Osteochondrosis and osteochondritis dissecans may represent a spectrum of disease based on comparative anatomy studies.

Treatment

The most important key to treatment of these overuse injuries is prevention; this can be achieved by adhering to proper pitch count guidelines and teaching proper mechanics. After the injury has occurred, treatment needs to be hardline rest and activity modification. This should include parental education regarding cross-training and expectation management. There are no defined guidelines for how long to set the expectation for return to play.

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