วันเสาร์ที่ 30 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2569

Burner / Stinger Syndrome

Burner / Stinger Syndrome

Burner หรือ Stinger syndrome คือ transient upper extremity nerve injury จาก traction/compression ของ upper trunk brachial plexus หรือ C5-C6 nerve roots พบมากใน contact sports โดยเฉพาะ football และ rugby

อาการส่วนใหญ่มัก transient แต่ recurrent injury พบได้บ่อย และบางรายมี prolonged weakness หรือ chronic symptoms ได้


Pathophysiology

Main lesion

ส่วนใหญ่เป็น:

  • upper trunk brachial plexopathy
    หรือ
  • C5/C6 radiculopathy

Mechanisms of Injury

1. Traction injury (พบบ่อย)

เกิดเมื่อ:

  • shoulder depressed
  • neck bent away from affected side

brachial plexus stretch


2. Direct blow

กระแทก supraclavicular fossa โดยตรง

percussive injury to upper trunk


3. Compression injury

เกิดจาก:

  • neck hyperextension
  • ipsilateral lateral flexion/rotation

foraminal narrowing + root compression

มักสัมพันธ์กับ:

  • chronic/recurrent burners
  • higher-level athletes

Peripheral Nerve Injury Classification

Grade I — Neurapraxia

  • demyelination only
  • axon intact
  • recovery usually <3 weeks
  • EMG often normal

Grade II — Axonotmesis

  • axonal injury
  • Wallerian degeneration
  • EMG abnormal after 2-3 weeks

Grade III — Neurotmesis

  • complete transection
  • rare in sports

Burners ส่วนใหญ่เป็น Grade I-II


Epidemiology

พบบ่อยใน:

  • American football
  • rugby
  • wrestling
  • hockey
  • gymnastics

Recurrence สูงมาก

  • recurrent burners ~20-80%

ผู้เล่นหลายคนไม่รายงานอาการ


Clinical Features

Classic Presentation

หลัง collision/contact:

  • sudden burning pain
  • radiates down arm
  • non-dermatomal pattern

อาจมี:

  • numbness
  • paresthesia
  • transient weakness

ส่วนใหญ่หายภายใน:

  • minutes
  • occasionally hours

Important Historical Clues

ถาม:

  • exact mechanism
  • duration
  • recurrence
  • weakness persistence
  • bilateral symptoms
  • neck pain

Recurrent burners

คิดถึง:

  • cervical stenosis
  • chronic compression

Physical Examination

Inspection

Acute phase:

  • athlete shaking arm
  • arm held against body

Atrophy

Chronic/recurrent cases:

  • deltoid atrophy
  • supraspinatus atrophy
  • shoulder depression

Red Flags on Exam

NOT typical for simple burner

  • focal cervical tenderness
  • bilateral symptoms
  • lower extremity symptoms
  • altered mental status
  • persistent neurologic deficit

evaluate cervical spine/spinal cord urgently


Spurling Test

positive supports cervical root compression

Important point

high specificity but low sensitivity

Negative test does NOT exclude radiculopathy


Weakness Pattern

ส่วนใหญ่ involve C5-C6 muscles

Common muscles to test

Muscle

Nerve

Root

Deltoid

Axillary

C5-6

Supraspinatus

Suprascapular

C5-6

Infraspinatus

Suprascapular

C5-6

Biceps

Musculocutaneous

C5-6

Pronator teres

Median

C6-7

Triceps

Radial

C7-8

ADM

Ulnar

C8-T1

ADM: abductor digiti minimi


Important Clinical Pearls

  • weakness อาจ delayed several hours-days
  • subtle weakness อาจ missed ใน strong athletes
  • compare both sides carefully

Diagnosis

Usually clinical diagnosis

Most cases:

  • no imaging needed
  • no EMG needed

หาก symptoms transient และ rapidly improving


Indications for Further Workup

Imaging indicated if:

  • severe neck pain
  • focal cervical tenderness
  • limited ROM
  • persistent weakness
  • recurrence
  • bilateral symptoms
  • slow recovery

Imaging

Plain cervical radiographs

รวม:

  • AP
  • lateral
  • oblique
  • flexion/extension views

MRI cervical spine

best for:

  • disc
  • nerve root
  • spinal cord

CT

better for:

  • spinal stenosis
  • bony injury

Electrodiagnostic Studies

EMG/NCS useful for:

  • localization
  • severity
  • prognosis

Findings:

  • fibrillation potentials
  • prolonged latency
  • conduction delay

Timing

ควรทำเมื่อ symptoms >3 weeks

เพราะ early EMG อาจ normal


Differential Diagnosis

Serious causes to exclude

  • cervical fracture
  • cervical dislocation
  • spinal cord injury
  • shoulder dislocation
  • clavicle fracture
  • cervical radiculopathy

Management

Main principles

  • symptom resolution
  • prevent recurrence
  • correct risk factors

Rehabilitation

Goals

1.       restore pain-free ROM

2.       strengthen neck/shoulder

3.       improve posture

4.       correct sports technique

Important posture

“Chest-out posture”
ช่วย:

  • open foramina
  • reduce root compression
  • reduce scalene pressure

Protective Equipment

May help reduce recurrence:

  • neck roll
  • Cowboy collar
  • Kerr collar
  • custom orthosis
  • high-riding shoulder pads

Avoid

helmet-to-shoulder tether straps (unsafe)


No Role For

  • nerve block
  • steroid injection

Return-to-Play Criteria

ต้องมีทั้งหมด:

  • complete symptom resolution
  • full painless ROM
  • full strength
  • normal function

Do NOT return if:

  • persistent neurologic deficit
  • recurrent symptoms during practice

Important EMG Pearl

EMG abnormalities อาจอยู่ได้นานหลัง symptoms หาย

ดังนั้น:

  • ไม่ใช้ EMG normalization เป็น criteria for return-to-play

Prognosis

Usually good

ส่วนใหญ่ recover completely


But recurrence common

  • recurrence สูงมาก
  • chronic symptoms possible

Persistent symptoms avoid contact sports


Prevention

Key strategies

  • improve neck flexibility
  • strengthen shoulder/neck
  • optimize tackling technique
  • posture correction
  • protective equipment

Screening cervical radiographs:

  • NOT routine

Key Pearls สำหรับแพทย์

  • Burner = transient upper trunk brachial plexopathy/C5-6 injury
  • Burning pain radiating down one arm after contact sport
  • Most recover within minutes-hours
  • Persistent weakness evaluate carefully
  • Bilateral symptoms or cervical tenderness = spinal cord injury until proven otherwise
  • Recurrent burners consider cervical stenosis
  • EMG useful only after ~3 weeks
  • Return to play only after full neurologic recovery
  • Recurrent injury common

 

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