Peripheral nerve injury in sports.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to discuss peripheral nerve injuries in sport and to discuss such injuries within the context of their mechanisms of action.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review is based on the author's personal experience combined with analysis of pertinent articles and reviews. Peripheral nerve injuries are uncommon in sport, but represent a potentially serious cause of morbidity to the athlete. Although making a diagnosis of the involved peripheral nerve is not necessarily difficult for the practicing neurologist, it is critical to always place peripheral nerve injury in sport within the context of sports medicine. Nerve injuries do not occur in isolation, but rather are intertwined with the conditioning of the athlete, the biomechanics of the sport, and the use of protective equipment.

SUMMARY

In assessing peripheral nerve injuries in sport, it is not enough to simply make a diagnosis of the involved nerve; the physician must also assess whether the nerve became injured through a process of direct acute compression or stretching, repetitive compression and stretching over time, or another mechanism such as ischemia or laceration. Diagnosing sports-related peripheral nerve injuries within the context of their mechanism of action better allows for the possibility of functional rehabilitation.