Ulnar Abutment Syndrome in the Athlete

Ulnar abutment (ulnocarpal impaction) syndrome may be a source of ulnar-sided wrist pain in the athlete. This condition results from excessive load transfer across the triangular fibrocartilage complex and ulnocarpal joints with characteristic degenerative changes. It frequently occurs in patients with either static or dynamic ulnar positive variance. Treatment is tailored to the athlete and their sporting demands. Surgical treatment focuses on addressing ulnar variance to unload the ulnocarpal joint, with multiple surgical options, including the metaphyseal closing wedge osteotomy achieving this goal. This review focuses on the presentation, biomechanics, and treatment options for ulnar abutment syndrome in the athlete.