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Arterial compression during overhead throwing: a risk for arterial injury?
Claire H Stapleton1, Jade Elias, Danny J Green
1Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom. c.stapleton@ljmu.ac.uk
Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
|July 6, 2010
Summary
Transient arterial compression in overhead athletes does not appear to negatively impact axillary artery health. This finding suggests other mechanisms are responsible for reported aneurysm formations in these athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Athletic Performance
Background:
- Aneurysm formation in the axillary artery has been reported in overhead throwing athletes.
- Repetitive arterial compression by the humeral head during arm maneuvers is a suspected cause.
- The impact of this compression on arterial health remains uninvestigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether inducible axillary artery compression negatively alters arterial health in elite overhead athletes.
- To compare arterial health indices between athletes with and without inducible compression.
Main Methods:
- Screening of elite overhead athletes' throwing arms for inducible axillary artery compression.
- Matching of compressing (COMP) and non-compressing (NONCOMP) athletes by age and sex.
- Assessment of four arterial health indices (flow-mediated dilation, conduit artery vasodilatory capacity, glyceryl-trinitrate-induced vasodilation, intima-media thickness) using high-resolution ultrasound at the brachial and axillary arteries.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed between the COMP and NONCOMP groups in any of the assessed arterial health indices at either the brachial or axillary artery.
- Specifically, flow-mediated dilation, conduit artery vasodilatory capacity, glyceryl-trinitrate-induced vasodilation, and intima-media thickness showed no between-group variations.
Conclusions:
- Transient arterial compression during diagnostic arm maneuvers in overhead throwing athletes is not associated with abnormal artery function or structure.
- The findings suggest that other mechanisms, not transient compression, are likely responsible for axillary artery aneurysm formation in elite athletes.
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