Ultrasonographic Serial Evaluation after Reconstruction of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament and the Common Flexor Tendon of the Elbow in a High School Female Weight Lifter

A 16-year-old female weight-lifter with average records of 70 kg for the snatch event and 90 kg for the clean and jerk event suffered chronic ulnar collateral ligament injury, and underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. An ultrasonographic evaluation was performed at six weeks, three months, six months, nine months, and one year after the operation. The horizontal and vertical distances measured during the initial ultrasonographic examination as well as at six weeks, three months, six months, nine months, and one year after the operation were 8.4 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.6 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.7 mm, 2.7 mm, and-1.2 mm, 2.4 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.0 mm, 0.0 mm, 0.0 mm, respectively. The lifting records at one year after the operation were 65 kg for the snatch event and 90 kg for the clean and jerk event. The ultrasonographic method of serial examination was useful for evaluation of the rehabilitation program and for deciding on the time to return to competition. Key words: weight-lifting athletes, ultrasonography, elbow, ulnar collateral ligament Weight lifting usually involves lifting a weight heavier than one’s own body above the head level by using fast and strong elbow joint extensibility with a pronated forearm and a wide, weight-bearing grip, and this may lead to strong valgus force on the elbow joint. Chronic repetitive valgus stress during exercise and abrupt resisted extension force on lifting could cause injuries at the medial side of the elbow joint. We experienced a case of chronic complete media