Influence of Continuous Elbow Valgus Stress on the Medial Elbow Joint Space.

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effect of ulnar collateral ligament stretching due to the "creep phenomenon," the effect of accumulating elbow valgus stress on ligaments must be clarified.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of continuous elbow valgus stress on the medial elbow joint space (JS).

STUDY DESIGN

Controlled laboratory study.

METHODS

The authors measured the JS of the nondominant elbow joints of 20 healthy male university students (age, 21.4 ± 0.5 years; height, 171.4 ± 6.5 cm; weight, 65.7 ± 9.1 kg). The participants were seated with their shoulder at 90° of abduction and external rotation and their elbow at 30° of flexion, and elbow valgus stress was maintained at loads of 30 and 60 N using a Telos stress device. The JS was measured on ultrasound images of the medial elbow joint with the elbow in the start limb position (0 N) and then immediately (0 seconds) and at 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 seconds after loading. In addition, muscle activity of the pronator teres muscle during JS measurement was monitored to examine the presence or absence of defensive contraction due to pain. Analysis of variance and the Bonferroni method for post hoc testing were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

No participants showed defensive contractions of the pronator teres. At 30 N, JS was significantly larger 60 seconds after loading compared with immediately after loading (

CONCLUSION

JS was significantly larger immediately after loading of valgus stress, with an increase in continuous elbow valgus stress after 60 seconds at 30 N and after 120 seconds at 60 N. These results suggest that a creep phenomenon may develop around the soft tissue of the elbow when loaded by a continuous valgus stress.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

JS is significantly increased by continuous elbow valgus stress.

Informations de copyright

© The Author(s) 2021.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: This study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (19K11358) from the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and was commissioned by the Japan Sports Agency (Female Athletes Development and Support Projects 2020). AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.