Abnormal Wrist Sagittal Kinematics in Gymnasts With Dorsal Wrist Pain: A New Syndrome

The pathology of dorsal wrist pain in gymnasts without abnormal radiographic findings remains unclear.

The purpose of this study was to identify abnormal wrist sagittal kinematics in gymnasts with dorsal wrist pain. It was hypothesized that gymnasts with dorsal wrist pain would show abnormal sagittal kinematics with reversible hypermobility of the intercarpal joint.

Controlled laboratory study.

Participants included 19 wrists in male gymnasts with dorsal wrist pain, 18 wrist in male gymnasts without wrist pain, and 20 adult men without a history of wrist pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (T2-weighted sagittal images) findings at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of wrist extension were used in kinematic analysis. The angles and translations of the radiolunate, capitolunate, and third carpometacarpal joint were measured and compared between the 3 groups.

At 90° of wrist extension, gymnasts with dorsal wrist pain had a significantly lower radiolunate joint angle (28.70°± 6.28° vs 36.19°± 7.81°; P = .020) and a significantly higher capitolunate joint angle (57.99°± 6.15° vs 50.50°± 6.98°; P = .004) and distal translation (1.17 ± 0.50 mm vs 0.46 ± 0.62 mm; P = .002) than gymnasts without dorsal wrist pain.

Gymnasts with dorsal wrist pain showed abnormal wrist sagittal kinematics. These novel findings may facilitate understanding of dorsal wrist pain, which can be recognized as a new syndrome termed "gymnast's lunate dyskinesia."