Throwing Injuries of the Upper Extremity

The overhead throwing motion is a complex sequence of maneuvers that requires coordinated muscle activity in the upper and lower extremities. The shoulder and elbow are subject to multidirectional forces and are particularly vulnerable to injury during specific phases of the overhead throwing motion. Ligamentous, tendinous, neural, and osseous pathology that may occur in the shoulder or elbow of an overhead-throwing athlete will be discussed, with an emphasis on the role of MR imaging and MR arthrography.