Pediatric Shoulder Anatomy
The upper arm bone is called the humerus. It forms the shoulder joint at the upper end and elbows joint at the lower end. In children, the bone continues from a region called the growth plate, which is found at the ends of the bone. This is a region of cartilage cells, which are still soft. In time, they mature and harden to form the adult bone.
What is Little League Shoulder?
Little league shoulder is an injury to the growth plate of the upper arm bone at the shoulder joint of children. It is an overuse injury caused by repeated pitching or throwing, especially in children between the ages of 10 to 15 years. This condition is mostly seen in baseball pitchers, but children in other sports who use improper throwing action are also at risk.
Symptoms of Little League Shoulder
The symptoms associated with this condition include:
- Pain in the shoulder while playing
- Swelling of the shoulder joint
- Reduced speed and control while throwing
- Difficulty in lifting the arm
Diagnosis of Little League Shoulder
Little league shoulder is diagnosed with a review of your child’s symptoms, medical history and a physical examination of the shoulder. Your doctor may also suggest a shoulder X-ray to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment of Little League Shoulder
Little league shoulder is best treated by resting the shoulder until the injury heals. Your child’s doctor may recommend exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles or physical therapy during this time.
Related Topics:
- Shoulder Impingement
- Shoulder Labral Tear
- Frozen Shoulder
- Shoulder Instability
- Arthritis of the Shoulder
- Shoulder Fracture
- Acromioclavicular (AC) Arthritis
- Rotator Cuff Tear
- Shoulder Pain
- SLAP Tears
- Clavicle Fracture
- Fracture of the Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Shoulder Trauma
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Anterior Shoulder Instability
- Posterior Shoulder Instability
- Sternoclavicular Joint (SC joint)
- Overhead Athlete's Shoulder
- Subacromial Impingement Syndrome
- Glenoid Fractures
- Shoulder Disorders
- Snapping Scapula
- Proximal Humerus Fractures
- Baseball and Shoulder Injuries
- Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Osteoarthritis
- Proximal Biceps Tendinitis
- Rotator Cuff Pain
- Internal Impingement of the Shoulder
- Rotator Cuff Re-tear
- AC Joint Separation
- Shoulder Tendonitis
- Little League Shoulder
- Throwing Injuries of the Shoulder
- Subluxation
- Rotator Cuff Calcification
- Partial Rotator Cuff Tear
- Bicep Tendon Rupture
- Proximal Biceps Tendon Rupture
- Calcification Tendinitis
- AC Joint Dislocation/Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation
- Long Head Biceps Tendon Rupture
- Shoulder Labral Tear with Instability
- Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder
- Periprosthetic Shoulder Fracture