Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report
# Background and Purpose Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury is a common elbow injury among overhead athletes, particularly baseball pitchers. However, limited research exists for non-throwing athletes, especially regarding rehabilitation. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the use...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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North American Sports Medicine Institute
2024-08-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.120900 |
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| _version_ | 1825139375853273088 |
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| author | Annemieke D. Corbitt William D. Bandy |
| author_facet | Annemieke D. Corbitt William D. Bandy |
| author_sort | Annemieke D. Corbitt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | # Background and Purpose
Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury is a common elbow injury among overhead athletes, particularly baseball pitchers. However, limited research exists for non-throwing athletes, especially regarding rehabilitation. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the use of early weight-bearing activities into the rehabilitation protocol for non-operative management of athletes with a UCL injury.
# Case Description
The subject was a 17-year-old female competitive cheerleader. Two weeks prior, during the performance of an acrobatic skill in which she transitioned to full upper extremity (UE) weight-bearing, she sustained an injury to her right elbow. Physical therapy examination findings indicated a diagnosis of a UCL sprain. Self-reported outcome measures revealed a FOTO score of 69/100 and a Quick Dash score of 43/100. The subject attended 14 therapy sessions over nine weeks to address physical function and performance, which were assessed at intervals during her therapy program. Rehabilitation consisted of therapeutic exercise for the progression of UE functional weight-bearing including planks, ball push-ups, handstands, crab walks, stool pulls, handstand walks, and UE plyometric jumps.
# Outcomes
Along with documented improvement of the standard musculoskeletal examination measures of range of motion, strength, and functional performance, the subject demonstrated no elbow instability and improved FOTO and Quick Dash scores of 98 and 0, respectively. The subject demonstrated 105% limb symmetry index with the return to sport (RTS) UE functional testing of one-armed seated shot-put throw (SSPT) and achieved normative values with the closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability test (CKCUEST).
# Conclusion
This case report highlights the successful treatment of a subject with a UCL injury and the integration of therapy interventions with a focus on UE weight-bearing. Further research on performing high level UE weight-bearing activities during rehabilitation and RTS guidelines is needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a670ef80e5e4360929782a039621817 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2159-2896 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-08-01 |
| publisher | North American Sports Medicine Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a670ef80e5e4360929782a0396218172025-02-11T20:29:48ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962024-08-01198Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case ReportAnnemieke D. CorbittWilliam D. Bandy# Background and Purpose Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury is a common elbow injury among overhead athletes, particularly baseball pitchers. However, limited research exists for non-throwing athletes, especially regarding rehabilitation. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the use of early weight-bearing activities into the rehabilitation protocol for non-operative management of athletes with a UCL injury. # Case Description The subject was a 17-year-old female competitive cheerleader. Two weeks prior, during the performance of an acrobatic skill in which she transitioned to full upper extremity (UE) weight-bearing, she sustained an injury to her right elbow. Physical therapy examination findings indicated a diagnosis of a UCL sprain. Self-reported outcome measures revealed a FOTO score of 69/100 and a Quick Dash score of 43/100. The subject attended 14 therapy sessions over nine weeks to address physical function and performance, which were assessed at intervals during her therapy program. Rehabilitation consisted of therapeutic exercise for the progression of UE functional weight-bearing including planks, ball push-ups, handstands, crab walks, stool pulls, handstand walks, and UE plyometric jumps. # Outcomes Along with documented improvement of the standard musculoskeletal examination measures of range of motion, strength, and functional performance, the subject demonstrated no elbow instability and improved FOTO and Quick Dash scores of 98 and 0, respectively. The subject demonstrated 105% limb symmetry index with the return to sport (RTS) UE functional testing of one-armed seated shot-put throw (SSPT) and achieved normative values with the closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability test (CKCUEST). # Conclusion This case report highlights the successful treatment of a subject with a UCL injury and the integration of therapy interventions with a focus on UE weight-bearing. Further research on performing high level UE weight-bearing activities during rehabilitation and RTS guidelines is needed.https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.120900 |
| spellingShingle | Annemieke D. Corbitt William D. Bandy Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| title | Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report |
| title_full | Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report |
| title_fullStr | Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report |
| title_short | Rehabilitation of an Upper Extremity Weight-Bearing Athlete with an Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Case Report |
| title_sort | rehabilitation of an upper extremity weight bearing athlete with an ulnar collateral ligament injury a case report |
| url | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.120900 |
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