Back to 2026 ePosters
Incidence and Management of Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injuries in Racket Sport Players
Anagh Astavans, BS
1, Indeevar R Beeram, MD
2, Ledibabari Mildred Ngaage, MD
2; Dawn M Laporte, MD
2(1)Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, (2)Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
IntroductionThe triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a load-bearing disc-shaped structure which stabilizes the distal ulna, and can be commonly injured in athletes, leading to significant pain and functional limitations. With minimal existing literature studying TFCC injuries in racket sport athletes, this study aimed to estimate the percentage of patients that sustained their TFCC injury during racket sports, and to provide insight into their risk factors for injury, treatment patterns, and outcomes.
Materials and MethodsPatients with wrist soft tissue injuries at our tertiary care institution in the last 9 years were screened for a diagnosis of TFCC injury. Retrospective chart review was performed to determine if their injury was sustained during a racket sport. Patients were excluded if there was no record of treatment or follow-up after their diagnosis. Data collected on patients with TFCC injury from racket sports included demographics, injury and treatment specifics, return to baseline activity (RTBA) time after initiating treatment, and complications.
ResultsOf the 1165 patients screened, 700 had a diagnosed TFCC injury, of which 162 (23.1%) sustained their injury during a sport. 25 (15.4%) of these patients were playing a racket sport, including tennis (n=21), pickleball (n=2), ping-pong (n=1), and badminton (n=1). 5 patients were excluded in accordance with exclusion criteria. A majority of the 20 patients included were male (55%), White (45%) or Asian (45%), and adolescents at injury (55%). 55% play their sport competitively and 75% injured their dominant wrist, with the predominant injury type being a tear of the ulnar peripheral attachment. 75% were treated conservatively through wrist immobilization and therapy. Of the 5 surgically-treated patients, 4 underwent TFCC debridement while 1 underwent open repair. 17 patients (12 conservative and all surgical patients) were able to RTBA (average time: 134 days), of which only one had pain recurrence.
ConclusionsTFCC injuries disproportionately affect tennis players, but favorably resolved from conservative treatment in 73.3% of cases with an average RTBA time of 103 days, and from surgical debridement in all cases with an average RTBA time of 210 days. Prior TFCC pathology and age above 50 were associated with no RTBA.
Back to 2026 ePosters
