Background: Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and total arc of motion difference (TAMD) have been associated with elbow injuries in throwing athletes.
Hypothesis: Youth pitchers with elbow pain will have greater GIRD and TAMD compared with youth pitchers without elbow pain.
Study design: Cross-sectional study.
Level of evidence: Level 3.
Methods: Glenohumeral range of motion of 25 consecutive throwing athletes presenting with elbow pain and that of a matched control group of 18 asymptomatic throwing athletes were compared. Bilateral glenohumeral internal rotation, external rotation, and horizontal adduction at 90° were measured and GIRD and TAMD were then calculated. An analysis of variance was performed to compare range of motion between throwers with and without elbow pain.
Results: The average GIRD of the elbow pain group was 32.7° compared with 14.5° in the control group (P < 0.05). The average TAMD in the elbow pain group was 28.3° compared with 6.7° in the control group (P < 0.05). GIRD and TAMD were present in 88% (22 of 25) and 96% (24 of 25) of the elbow pain group versus 33.3% (6 of 18) and 55.6% (10 of 18) of the control group, respectively.
Conclusion: Compared with asymptomatic youth pitchers, those presenting with elbow pain have a statistically significant GIRD and TAMD.
Clinical relevance: This study suggests that a GIRD and TAMD may predispose youth pitchers to present with symptomatic elbow pain.
Keywords: adolescents; baseball players; elbow pain; glenohumeral joint.