Ulnar nerve lesion at the wrist and sport: A report of 8 cases compared with 45 non-sport cases.

OBJECTIVE

Reporting clinical and electrodiagnostic characteristics of sport-related ulnar neuropathies at the wrist.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eight sport-related and 45 non-sport-related cases from 53 ulnar neuropathies at the wrist cases over 14 years.

RESULTS

Sport-related ulnar neuropathies at the wrist cases were due to cycling (5 cases), kayaking (2 cases), and big-game fishing (1 case). No patient had sensory complaints in ulnar digits, and all had motor impairment. Conduction across the wrist with recording on the first dorsal interosseous muscle was impaired in all cases, with conduction block in 5. Two cyclists showed bilateral ulnar neuropathies at the wrist. All cases recovered within 2 to 6 months with sport discontinuation. Distal lesions of the deep motor branch were more frequent in sport- than non-sport-related cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The 8 sport-related ulnar neuropathies at the wrist cases involved the deep motor branch. Conduction study to the first dorsal interosseous muscle across the wrist is the key to electrodiagnostics. Bilateral cases in cyclists does not require wrist imaging.