Volume 90, Issue 3 , Pages 402-406, March 2009
Expert Opinion and Controversies in Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine: Stingers
Abstract
Standaert CJ, Herring SA. Expert opinion and controversies in musculoskeletal and sports medicine: stingers.
Stingers are a common injury in contact sports and are characterized by acute lancinating pain in 1 upper extremity with or without associated weakness and neck pain. Appropriate on-field evaluation is necessary to identify the extent of injury and rule out structural injuries to the head, spine, or shoulder girdle. Although athletes can often return to play after a single acute event that resolves rapidly, those who have recurrent events, persisting pain, or strength deficits require a thorough diagnostic evaluation before return-to-play decisions can be made. In some circumstances, players sustaining a single stinger or multiple recurrent stingers may be permanently removed from participation in collision or contact sports.
Key Words: Neck pain, Radiculopathy, cervical, Brachial plexus, Sports medicine, Rehabilitation
List of Abbreviations: CT, computed tomography, EDX, electrodiagnostic studies/electrodiagnosis, MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, ROM, range of motion, RTP, return-to-play
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.
Reprints are not available from the authors.
PII: S0003-9993(08)01702-4
doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2008.09.569
© 2009 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Volume 90, Issue 3 , Pages 402-406, March 2009
