This week in Shoulder & Elbow

Sep 14–20, 2026 · 19 new studies, 10 reviews · Shoulder & Elbow archive · All weeks

The new Shoulder & Elbow research The Reduction sent the week of Sep 14–20, 2026, with the week’s most recent reviews, each with a one-line summary.

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New research

  1. Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for Proximal Humerus Fractures Using the Biomet Comprehensive Shoulder System: One-Year Results Reflect Clinically Meaningful Recovery.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 18 2026 · PubMed

    In 64 patients with rTSA for proximal humerus fractures, pain relief and function were largely achieved by one year, with only modest further gains by two years, supporting one-year outcomes as sufficient for most patients.

  2. Labral Repair With Concomitant Endoscopic Gluteus Medius and/or Minimus Repair: Outcomes at a Minimum 5-Year Follow-up Relative to a Propensity Score-Matched Control Group.

    American Journal of Sports Medicine · Sep 15 2026 · PubMed

    At ≥5-year follow-up, combined endoscopic gluteal tendon and labral repair produced patient outcomes and reoperation rates comparable to isolated labral repair despite greater abductor pathology.

  3. Revision Risk Following Primary Anatomic and Reverse TSA with an Exactech Equinoxe Compared with Other Devices: A U.S.-Based Cohort Study.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 15 2026 · PubMed

    Cohort study found Exactech Equinoxe anatomic TSA implants had nearly double the revision risk versus other devices, even among non-recalled bags, though no difference was seen for reverse TSA.

  4. Classification of Forearm Involvement in Multiple Hereditary Exostoses: Consensus from the CoULD Study Group.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 15 2026 · PubMed

    A Delphi consensus by pediatric hand surgeons produced a new 3-tier classification for forearm deformity in multiple hereditary exostoses that showed substantially better interrater reliability than existing systems.

  5. Surgical Outcome of Modified Woodward Procedure in Congenital Undescended Scapula.

    Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics · Sep 15 2026 · PubMed

    Modified Woodward procedure for Sprengel deformity produced significant gains in shoulder motion, scapular position, and patient-reported function, even in older children and those with scoliosis.

  6. Immediate Self-Rehabilitation With Versus Without Sling Immobilization After Open Latarjet Procedures for Recurrent Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) · Sep 14 2026 · PubMed

    In this RCT, skipping sling immobilization after open Latarjet surgery led to better 2-year Rowe and instability scores than standard sling use, challenging routine postoperative immobilization.

  7. Reinforced Polyester Patch Augmentation Improves Biomechanical Properties of Thin Fascia Lata Grafts for Superior Capsule Reconstruction.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 13 2026 · PubMed

    Reinforcing thin fascia lata grafts with a polyester patch significantly increased stiffness and ultimate load to levels matching thick grafts, offering a viable alternative for superior capsule reconstruction when thick graft harvest is difficult.

  8. Epidemiology of Acromioclavicular Sprains in the National Football League, 2015-2021.

    Sports Health · Sep 11 2026 · PubMed

    NFL data from 2015-2021 show AC sprains cause significant missed playing time, with running backs, tight ends, wide receivers, and quarterbacks having the highest injury rates, supporting targeted padding/bracing prevention strategies.

  9. Is the Presence, Increased Number, or Certain Category of Patient-Reported Allergies Associated with a Poor Outcome after Total Shoulder Arthroplasty?

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 10 2026 · PubMed

    In anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty, having two or more patient-reported allergies (especially non-antibiotic/pain medication allergies) independently predicted worse outcomes, though a single allergy did not.

  10. Medium Term Reoperation Rates after Primary Total Elbow Arthroplasty at a Single Institution: 303 Cases.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 10 2026 · PubMed

    In 303 primary total elbow arthroplasties followed a mean 4.6 years, 21% required reoperation—mainly for infection and aseptic loosening—highlighting persistent durability challenges despite modern technique.

  11. Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty with a Glenoid-Sided Lateralized Prosthesis and Concomitant Latissimus Dorsi Transfer Is Associated with Early Proximal Humeral Osseous Erosion Without Superior Functional Outcomes.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 10 2026 · PubMed

    Adding latissimus dorsi transfer to lateralized reverse shoulder arthroplasty did not improve external rotation or functional scores over rTSA alone but caused significantly more early proximal humeral bone erosion.

  12. Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (rESWT) for patients with chronic lateral elbow tendinopathy (tennis elbow): A double-blinded randomised controlled trial.

    Shoulder & Elbow · Sep 07 2026 · PubMed

    In this RCT of chronic tennis elbow, 'therapeutic-dose' radial shockwave therapy showed no benefit over minimal-dose treatment when combined with a home exercise program, arguing against high-dose ESWT protocols.

  13. Diagnostic Accuracy of Arthroscopic Pre-Revision Tissue Biopsy in Shoulder Arthroplasty.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 03 2026 · PubMed

    Arthroscopic pre-revision tissue biopsy showed poor sensitivity and negative predictive value for periprosthetic shoulder infection, so a negative result should not rule out infection or delay revision.

  14. Heterotopic ossification after complex elbow fracture-dislocations - Mid-term outcome and risk factor analysis.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Sep 03 2026 · PubMed

    In 169 patients with complex elbow fracture-dislocations, heterotopic ossification occurred in about a third and was linked to male sex, terrible triad injuries, and delayed surgery, worsening functional outcomes.

  15. Progressive Thinning of Autologous Fascia Lata Graft Is Associated With Graft Retear After Superior Capsular Reconstruction: A 5-Year Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    In this 5-year MRI study, fascia lata grafts after superior capsular reconstruction progressively thinned over time, correlating with humeral head migration and worse clinical outcomes, and MRA revealed many "intact" grafts were actually retorn.

  16. Hill-Sachs Lesion Size Is Not Associated With Chronicity of Anterior Shoulder Instability But Is Larger After Anterior Shoulder Dislocation Versus Subluxation.

    Arthroscopy · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    Among 255 arthroscopic Bankart repair patients, Hill-Sachs lesion size correlated with dislocation versus subluxation rather than chronicity, while chronic instability instead predicted a smaller distance to dislocation.

  17. Absorbable Suture Fixation of Osteochondral Fragments in Intra-articular Fractures of the Upper Extremity: A Surgical Technique.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (Global Online) · Sep 01 2026 · PubMed

    This technique paper describes using absorbable polydioxanone sutures to fix small osteochondral fragments in upper extremity intra-articular fractures, achieving union and joint congruity in a clinical case series.

  18. Expanding the indications of horizontal plate fixation to the proximal humerus: Technical note and clinical series.

    Injury · Aug 26 2026 · PubMed

    A horizontal plate fixation technique for isolated greater tuberosity fractures achieved reliable union and good UCLA shoulder scores in 11 patients.

  19. Revision risk of cross-linked versus non-crosslinked polyethylene in reverse shoulder arthroplasty: an analysis of 63,502 cases from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Aug 21 2026 · PubMed

    In this large registry study, highly cross-linked polyethylene reduced revision risk—including infection-related revisions—compared to non-cross-linked components in reverse shoulder arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and cuff arthropathy.

Recent reviews

  1. Objective clinical tests to inform decision-making prior to return to sport in athletes with shoulder instability: A scoping review.

    Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy · Jan 2026 · PubMed

    This scoping review finds objective clinical tests for return-to-sport after shoulder instability surgery vary widely in pass rates and don't reliably predict the 5-10% re-dislocation risk.

  2. Consensus statement on the treatment of proximal humerus fractures: a Delphi approach by the Neer Circle of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Aug 2025 · PubMed

    A Delphi consensus among ASES shoulder experts found agreement on surgery for certain complex proximal humerus fractures in healthy patients and nonoperative care in sicker patients, but no consensus on rehabilitation protocols or many fracture patterns.

  3. Surgical Options for the Restoration of Elbow Extension After Brachial Plexus Injury.

    Journal of Hand Surgery (American) · Jun 2025 · PubMed

    This review outlines nerve transfer, tendon transfer, and free functioning muscle transfer options for restoring elbow extension in patients with brachial plexus injury.

  4. Access to shoulder arthroplasty in Australia: A balance of regulation, surveillance, and monitored efficacy to maximize patient outcome and optimum care.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Jan 2025 · PubMed

    Describes Australia's regulatory and registry framework (TGA approval, Prescribed List, AOANJRR) balancing accessible yet monitored shoulder arthroplasty use.

  5. Instability and the Anatomic Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

    Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · Jan 15 2025 · PubMed

    This review outlines causes of instability after anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and offers strategies to prevent it, since revision success rates have historically been poor.

  6. Ultrasound Diagnosis of Upper Extremity Peripheral Entrapment Neuropathies: A Narrative Review.

    JBJS Reviews · Sep 01 2024 · PubMed

    This narrative review finds diagnostic ultrasound to be a valid adjunct to electrodiagnostic studies for diagnosing upper extremity nerve entrapments, though standardized clinical guidelines are still lacking.

  7. Measure what matters: Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score as the critical measure for shoulder outcomes.

    Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery · Jun 2024 · PubMed

    This paper advocates for the simple, low-burden SANE score as a universally reliable and valid patient-reported outcome measure across all shoulder conditions.

  8. Shoulder electromyography activity during push-up variations: a scoping review.

    Shoulder & Elbow · Jun 2022 · PubMed

    This scoping review of 30 studies found unstable-surface push-ups produce the greatest overall shoulder muscle activation, helping guide targeted exercise prescription for rehab.

  9. Ultrasonographic Technique, Appearance, and Diagnostic Accuracy for Common Elbow Sports Injuries.

    JBJS Reviews · Nov 2020 · PubMed

    This review details ultrasonography's technique and diagnostic value for common athletic elbow injuries, especially stress ultrasound for evaluating ulnar collateral ligament laxity.

  10. Rehabilitation After Anatomic and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Critical Analysis Review.

    JBJS Reviews · Feb 2020 · PubMed

    This critical review finds insufficient high-quality evidence to guide postoperative rehabilitation protocols after anatomic or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, with no clear benefit of early motion or formal physical therapy.

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