Ultrasonographic evaluation of the shoulder in elite wheelchair tennis players

Context: Wheelchair tennis has been identified as a high-risk sport for shoulder injury, so understanding shoulder pathology in these athletes is important. Objective: This study investigated the incidence and pattern of shoulder injuries in wheelchair tennis players using high-resolution ultrasonography. Design: Descriptive study. Setting: International Wheelchair Tennis Open. Participants: 33 elite-level wheelchair tennis players. Outcome Measures: Wheelchair tennis players completed a self-administered questionnaire, and shoulders of each athlete were investigated using high-resolution ultrasonography (linear probe 7.5 MHz). Results: The most common pathology in the dominant shoulder was acromioclavicular pathology, in 21 players (63.6%). Full-thickness rotator-cuff tears involving the supraspinatus were found in 8 dominant shoulders and 6 nondominant shoulders. There were no correlations between identified shoulder pathology and the different variables studied, such as age, training time per day, length of wheelchair use, and length of career as a wheelchair tennis player. Conclusion: High prevalence of rotator-cuff and acromioclavicular pathology was found by ultrasonographic examination in the elite wheelchair tennis players in both dominant and nondominant shoulders. A high index of suspicion of these pathologies in wheelchair athletes is required.