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Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine

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01-03-2018 | Injuries in Overhead Athletes (J Dines and C Camp, section editors)

Treatment of Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears in Overhead Athletes

Authors: Joseph N. Liu, Grant H. Garcia, Anirudh K. Gowd, Brandon C. Cabarcas, Michael D. Charles, Anthony A. Romeo, Nikhil N. Verma

Published in: Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine | Issue 1/2018

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To review the etiology, classification, presentation, evaluation, treatment strategy, and outcomes in overhead athletes with partial thickness rotator cuff tears.

Recent Findings

Despite advances in surgical repair techniques, return to play following surgical repair of partial rotator cuff tears remains modest at best.

Summary

Overhead athletes may be particularly prone to rotator cuff pathology due to the supraphysiological strains within the tendon during the throwing motion, as well as mechanical stress with contact between the undersurface of the rotator cuff and the glenoid. The true prevalence of partial tears may be underestimated given the high incidence of asymptomatic tears. Both dynamic ultrasound and enhanced contrast MRI have improved our understanding of this pathology. For most overhead athletes, nonoperative management is the most common course. Despite advances in imaging, diagnosis, and surgical techniques, our ability to return these patients to their elite level is modest at best when nonoperative management fails and surgical treatment is performed. If a surgical route is needed, debridement alone is the most frequent procedure given concerns of over constraint and poor return to play with surgical repair of the partial thickness rotator cuff tear.

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Title: Treatment of Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears in Overhead Athletes
Authors: Joseph N. Liu
Grant H. Garcia
Anirudh K. Gowd
Brandon C. Cabarcas
Michael D. Charles
Anthony A. Romeo
Nikhil N. Verma
Publication date: 01-03-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1935-9748
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-018-9459-2

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Treatment of Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears in Overhead Athletes

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Recent Findings

Summary

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Recent Findings

Summary

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