TABLE 5.
MRI Data on the 8 Little League Players With a New or Worsened Postseason MRI Finding
| New/Worsened MRI Finding | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Data | Study Variables | No | Yes (n = 8) | P Value |
| Preseason | Pitcher/catcher, % | 47 | 50 | .27 |
| Year-round play, % | 65 | 75 | .26 | |
| Private coach, % | 29 | 25 | .3 | |
| In season | Games played, median (range) | 29 (24-29) | 26 (26-29) | .49 |
| Innings pitched, mean ± SD | 15.5 ± 15 | 15.8 ± 18 | .8 | |
| No. pitches, mean ± SD | 295 ± 281 | 304 ± 344 | .62 | |
| Pitchers throwing curveballs/sliders? % | 53 | 71 | .19 | |
| Postseason | Any arm pain self-report, % | 24 | 43 | .16 |
| Shoulder pain self-report, % | 12 | 29 | .16 | |
| Elbow pain self-report, % | 24 | 14 | .61 | |
| ROM (dominant-to-nondominant difference) | Internal rotation postseason (shoulder), mean ± SD, deg | −16 ± 16 | −18 ± 14 | .75 |
| Internal rotation change, mean ± SD, deg | 13 ± 14 | 12 ± 11 | .84 | |
| External rotation postseason (shoulder), mean ± SD, deg | 7 ± 12 | 2 ± 10 | .4 | |
| External rotation change, mean ± SD, deg | −2.5 ± 14 | 3 ± 13 | .37 | |
| Arc of motion postseason (shoulder), mean ± SD, deg | −10 ± 18 | −16 ± 15 | .451 | |
| Arc of motion change, mean ± SD, deg | 10.5 ± 19 | 15 ± 19 | .612 | |
| Elbow flexion postseason, mean ± SD, deg | −2 ± 5 | −4 ± 4 | .39 | |
| Elbow flexion change, mean ± SD, deg | 1 ± 6 | 0.13 ± 8 | .831 | |
| Elbow extension postseason, mean ± SD, deg | 2 ± 3 | 0.4 ± 3 | .31 | |
| Elbow extension change, mean ± SD, deg | −2 ± 3 | −1 ± 4 | .74 | |
| Pronation postseason, mean ± SD, deg | −2 ± 7 | 2.5 ± 5 | .146 | |
| Pronation change, mean ± SD, deg | 2 ± 7 | −0.75 ± 6 | .39 | |
| Supination postseason, mean ± SD, deg | 1.25 ± 5 | 1.25 ± 4 | .99 | |
| Supination change, mean ± SD, deg | −0.13 ± 8 | 0.13 ± 6 | .93 | |
| Other postseason examination | Tenderness to palpation of shoulder in dominant arm only, % | 13 | 13 | .99 |
| Tenderness to palpation of elbow in dominant arm only, % | 13 | 13 | .99 | |
| Ulnar nerve subluxation dominant arm only, % | 13 | 0 | .536 | |
| Carrying angle side-to-side difference, mean ± SD, deg | −0.41 ± 2 | 0.13 ± 2.4 | .56 | |
| Humeral retrotorsion (side-to-side difference, assessed by ultrasound), mean ± SD, deg | −4.8 ± 8 | −3.2 ± 11 | .718 | |
| MRI quantitative data | UCL thickness postseason, mean ± SD | 1.3 ± 0.3 | 1.6 ± 0.6 | .12 |
| UCL thickness change, mean ± SD | 0.1 ± 0.4 | 0.21 ± 0.5 | .28 | |
| Distance UCL to ME physis postseason, mean ± SD | 4.5 ± 1.4 | 3.9 ± 1.6 | .41 | |
| Distance UCL to ME physis change, mean ± SD | −0.2 ± 1 | −0.8 ± 1 | .24 | |
| Distal physeal humeral width postseason, mean ± SD | 2.3 ± 0.6 | 2.4 ± 0.5 | .69 | |
| Distal physeal humeral width change, mean ± SD | 0.8 ± 0.7 | 0.5 ± 0.4 | .19 | |
aME, medial epicondyle; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; ROM, range of motion; UCL, ulnar collateral ligament.