The Prevalence of Shoulder Pathology among NCAA Division 1 Overhead Athletes

Abstract

The occurrence of shoulder pathology among overhead athletes is well known and documented. However, the prevalence of specific shoulder injuries among the different overhead athletes is not known. The mechanisms of injury in most overhead sports are similar, but each sport has movements and stresses more commonly occurring. Practitioners could benefit from knowing the injuries inherent to each sport for the purposes of prevention. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence rates for shoulder pathologies among collegiate overhead athletes, and to investigate if differences in shoulder injury prevalence existed among the various overhead sports. METHODS: Data were collected from preseason medical examinations and from the medical records maintained throughout the collegiate careers of 307 NCAA Division I overhead athletes. Athletes who participated in intercollegiate baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis and swimming from 2000–2005 were included in this study. RESULTS: Shoulder injuries were documented in 30% of the intercollegiate overhead athletes during their athletic careers. Rotator cuff tendonitis and subacromial impingement were the most common shoulder pathologies for each individual sport and accounted for 23% and 29% of the total shoulder injuries respectively. As such, these pathologies had a statistically significant higher prevalence rate than any other injury (P=0.001, x2=63.0). Volleyball players had significantly more acromioclavicular sprains than the other athletes (P=0.001, x2=17.7). A total of 116 shoulder injuries were documented among 92 athletes complaining of shoulder related pain, indicating 1.3 injuries per injured athlete. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder pathology is a common occurrence among overhead intercollegiate athletes, as shown in this study as well as previous research. Rotator cuff tendonitis and subacromial impingement were the most common shoulder injuries recorded among the subjects. The results of this study emphasize the need for increased utilization of prevention techniques to decrease the prevalence of shoulder injuries among overhead athletes, with particular measures targeting the prevention of subacromial impingement and rotator cuff tendonitis.