Comparative study of elbow disorders in young high-performance gymnasts

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Elbow osteochondral affections are common in athletes due to repetitive stress.
• High-performance gymnasts place excessive stress on their upper extremities, potentially increasing elbow injury risk.
• Early and accurate diagnosis of elbow lesions is crucial for effective management and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the prognosis of elbow osteochondral affections in high-performance gymnasts versus athletes with lower upper extremity stress.
• To evaluate a novel isotropic 3D-FSE-sequence (CUBE) MRI technique for early diagnosis of elbow lesions.
• To determine the prevalence of specific osteochondral conditions, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), in gymnasts' elbows.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparison of MRI findings in 30 high-performance gymnasts and 29 control athletes.
• Standard MRI protocol and a novel isotropic 3D-FSE-sequence (CUBE) were used for elbow examinations.
• Statistical analysis to compare the prevalence of elbow complaints and osteochondral lesions between groups.

Main Results:

• Gymnasts reported significantly more elbow joint complaints (p=0.012).
• Osteochondral lesions were more frequent in gymnasts (33%), including 23% with OCD.
• The CUBE sequence demonstrated comparable diagnostic sensitivity to standard MRI protocols.

Conclusions:

• Juvenile gymnasts face a higher risk of developing elbow osteochondral lesions compared to athletes with less upper extremity stress.
• The CUBE MRI sequence is a viable tool for early diagnosis of elbow osteochondral affections.
• Understanding these risks can inform preventative strategies and treatment for young athletes.