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
- Frozen Shoulder
- Shoulder Instability
- Arthritis of the Shoulder
- Acromioclavicular (AC) Arthritis
- Rotator Cuff Tear
- Shoulder Pain
- Anterior Shoulder Instability
- Posterior Shoulder Instability
- SLAP Tears
- Shoulder Labral Tear
- Shoulder Fracture
- Clavicle Fracture
- Glenoid Fractures
- Proximal Humerus Fractures
- Shoulder Trauma
- Rotator Cuff Pain
- Shoulder Disorders
- Subacromial Impingement Syndrome
- Overhead Athlete's Shoulder
- Shoulder Impingement
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Little League Shoulder
- Proximal Biceps Tendon Rupture
- Shoulder Labral Tear with Instability
- Baseball and Shoulder Injuries
- Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Osteoarthritis
- Proximal Biceps Tendinitis
- AC Joint Separation
- Shoulder Tendonitis
- Throwing Injuries of the Shoulder
- Internal Impingement of the Shoulder
- Rotator Cuff Re-tear
- Rotator Cuff Calcification
- Partial Rotator Cuff Tear
- Bicep Tendon Rupture
- Calcification Tendinitis
- Periprosthetic Shoulder Fracture
- Long Head Biceps Tendon Rupture
- Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder
