Posterior elbow impingement

Excessive valgus stress applied to the medial elbow during the acceleration phase of the pitch causes forceful wedging of the olecranon into the olecranon fossa. This process often leads to pathologic changes including osteophyte formation on the posteromedial aspect of the olecranon. This article presents our open and arthroscopic techniques for debridement of a posteromedial olecranon osteophyte and discusses some of our thoughts on evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of the thrower with posterior impingement.