Tears of the subscapularis tendon in athletes--diagnosis and repair techniques.

Isolated injury to the subscapularis tendon is an uncommon - but potentially debilitating - injury among athletes. The most frequent injury pattern seen in younger athletes is an acute, traumatic tendon avulsion. In the older athletic population, chronic degenerative tearing of the tendon may precede sports-related rupture, particularly following shoulder dislocation. This article reviews how to diagnose this injury in athletes, and describes both conservative and operative treatment options and their outcomes.