Increased carrying angle is a risk factor for nontraumatic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow.

UNLABELLED: The literature suggests a possible relationship between carrying angle and nontrauma-related ulnar neuropathy. To confirm that relationship, we asked whether carrying angle is a risk factor in patients with nontrauma-related ulnar neuropathy. We measured the carrying angles of the elbow in 36 patients with a clinically and electrophysiologically confirmed diagnosis of nontraumatic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow and in 50 healthy control subjects. Correlation analysis was performed between carrying angles and parameters of nerve conduction studies, including nerve conduction velocities and amplitudes of muscle and nerve action potentials. The mean carrying angle was greater in the patients than in the control subjects. Females had a greater carrying angle than males. We observed an inverse relationship between carrying angles and motor nerve conduction velocities at cross-elbow segments of the ulnar nerves and with sensory nerve conduction velocities of the distal ulnar nerves. An increased carrying angle of the elbow appears to be an independent risk factor of nontrauma-related ulnar neuropathy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.