Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate supraspinatus tendon sonographic morphology in a population of young overhead athletes in correlation with main pathologic models of secondary shoulder impingement syndrome.
Subjects and methods: Between April and May 2004, 20 subjects (ten professional basketball players and ten non-athlete controls of the same age, weight and height ranges) underwent bilateral, standardised, sonographic sholulder examination to evaluate supraspinatus echotexture, supraspinatus and subacromial bursa thickness, subacromial space width (cutoff of 7 mm) and dynamic anterior impingement beneath the acromial margin.
Results: All subjects were right handed. No symptomatic controls were found. Four players showed signs and symptoms of right atraumatic shoulder instability (two cases) or supraspinatus impingement with anterior pain (one right and one left shoulder). Subacromial space width was reduced in five right-dominant players' shoulders (three symptomatic and two asymptomatic) versus zero controls (p<0.05) and in eight players' shoulders versus zero controls on total shoulders (p<0.05). No other significant differences were observed between the two groups in sonographic parameters considered.
Conclusions: Despite the study limitations, ultrasonography (US) is able to detect subacromial space narrowing in young overhead athletes as early shoulder impingement sign, according to the continuum impingement-instability pathologic model.