[Elbow problems associated with sports injuries in children]

Abstract

Elbow problems associated with sports injuries may result from overuse, micro- or macrotraumas. Overuse injuries are frequent and are often closely related to mechanical characteristics of sports. Sports-related elbow injuries mainly occur in sports involving throwing such as baseball and javelin throwing, which require forced valgus and extension of the elbow, predisposing it to overuse injuries. Overuse injuries in child athletes are generally defined as Little League elbow, the most common of which are medial epicondyle apophysitis, osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum, radial head deformation, flexion contractures, and injuries to the olecranon. Most of these injuries can be healed without or with minimal sequelae by early diagnosis and proper treatment. Therefore, mechanisms of, and risk factors for, elbow problems encountered in pediatric athletes should be well-understood in order to avoid the risks for a permanent deformity in the child's anatomy.