Nerve Entrapment Syndromes and Techniques for Decompression in Sport
摘要
Compression of the nerve, entrapment, and elongation in exposed to pressure regions like the wrist or elbow might lead to a reduction in the number of axons, fibrotization, and proliferation of nerve sheets and permanent nerve dysfunction. This condition in consequence is responsible for muscle atrophy, painful hypersensitivity, and finally leads to severe sport contusion. Approximately 70% of bikers in long distance rides above 600 km experience temporary ulnar or median nerves paresis. Most of these phenomena are temporary, but when symptoms persist more than 6 weeks, a full diagnostic evaluation should be performed to determine the need for treatment. This diagnosis is based on careful clinical investigation. Most clinical entities can be precisely identified after anamnesis and manual testing. X-rays and magnetic resonance may help to identify accompanying factors that provoke compression or muscle atrophy level. Electromyography is useful after 4 weeks. Ultrasound is almost always disponible, but needs an experienced investigator, because it is very operator-dependent. In most cases the lesion is polyetiological in nature (in hockey, the groin region is involved in 90% of cases) and one should absolutely take under consideration the coexistence of accompanying pathologies like cervical or lumbar discopathy or vascular abnormalities. The so-called “double-crush” concept that provokes carpal tunnel or thoracic outlet syndrome is a perfect example. In most cases, conservative treatment includes: modification of grip or technique, neuromobilization, or protective gloves. When an operative treatment is needed, decompression with external neurolysis might be sufficient; but in some pathologies, sport-specific, transposition of the nerve, or better coverage by autologous fat are indicated.