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Case Reports
. 2022 Apr 8;10(4).
doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.21.00158.

Ulnar Wrist Pain in a Tennis Player: Case Review and Discussion: A Team-Based Approach

Anthony L Logli  1 , Stacy R Loushin  2 , Adam F Orlando  3 , Sabine Tetzloff  4 , Kenton R Kaufman  1   2   5 , Sanjeev Kakar  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Ulnar Wrist Pain in a Tennis Player: Case Review and Discussion: A Team-Based Approach

Anthony L Logli et al. JBJS Rev. .

Abstract

»: Ulnar-sided wrist pain is a common cause of debilitating wrist pain in stick-handling athletes. Due to the complexity of surrounding anatomy, the evaluation and diagnosis can be challenging.

»: Injury of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is the most common cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Repetitive, unrestricted pronosupination, wrist deviation, and axial-loading activity, such as in tennis, place substantial stress on the TFCC.

»: The ulnotriquetral (UT) ligament is a palmar thickening of the ulnar capsule arising from the palmar radioulnar (PRU) ligament of the TFCC. When injured, the UT ligament can be a source of acute or chronic ulnar-sided wrist pain. The ligament can avulse off bone, can rupture completely, or can split longitudinally.

»: Arthroscopic-assisted repair is a safe, reliable, and effective treatment for UT ligament split tears and peripheral TFCC tears.

»: Although the benefit of a team-based approach may be realized by most patients, high-performing, stick-handling athletes are part of a unique population who execute repetitive, extraordinary wrist movements. The high demand and functional requirement expected of the wrists require a uniquely tailored approach to return them to the same level of competitive play.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSREV/A829).

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