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Published on: October 10, 2020
Posterolateral elbow impingement in professional boxers
Kars P Valkering1, Henk van der Hoeven, Bas C M Pijnenburg
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Spaarne Hospital, PO Box 770, 2130 AT Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. kars.valkering@gmail.com
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
|November 8, 2007
Summary
Posterolateral elbow impingement in boxers, often caused by hyperextension trauma, can be effectively treated with arthroscopic debridement. This surgical approach led to good outcomes and full return to sport for all boxers in the study.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Combat Sports Medicine
Background:
- Elbow injuries are prevalent in boxing but underreported in medical literature.
- Hyperextension trauma from missed punches is a common cause of acute elbow injury in boxers.
- Clinical presentation includes pain, stiffness, and reduced elbow extension.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causes, diagnosis, and arthroscopic treatment of elbow injuries in professional boxers.
- To compare the characteristics of boxing-related elbow injuries with those in other sports.
- To evaluate the efficacy of arthroscopic debridement for posterior elbow impingement in boxers.
Main Methods:
- A case series of 5 professional boxers diagnosed with posterior elbow impingement between 2003 and 2005.
- Surgical intervention involved arthroscopic debridement, including partial resection of the posterior olecranon tip and removal of osteophytes and loose bodies.
- Patient outcomes were assessed preoperatively and one year postoperatively using the Hospital for Special Surgery Elbow Assessment Scale.
Main Results:
- Arthroscopic debridement successfully removed impinging bone spurs and scar tissue.
- Three patients required removal of loose bodies from the elbow joint.
- All 5 boxers demonstrated satisfactory improvement in the Hospital for Special Surgery score, with full functional recovery and return to boxing at one year follow-up.
- No concomitant ulnar collateral ligament injuries were observed, differentiating these cases from valgus extension overload syndrome.
Conclusions:
- Posterolateral elbow impingement in boxers is primarily attributed to hyperextension injuries.
- Arthroscopic debridement is an effective treatment for this condition in boxers.
- Medial elbow instability was not a feature in these cases, and outcomes were consistently positive.
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