The brachial plexus is commonly injured in contact sports. The brachial plexus trauma causes a “stringer” or “burner” syndrome. The symptoms may last for minutes or as long as 2 weeks. C5-6 is the where most traumas occur. Mechanisms of injury include: 1) traction caused by lateral flexion or neck movement away from the involved side; 2) direct impact to brachial plexus causing compression; 3) nerve compression caused by neck hypertension and ipsilateral rotation.
Symptoms include neck pain, burning sensation in the neck, dysesthesia, the affected extremity may feel weak or heavy and paraesthesia. Burners or stingers are also graded:
1) Neuropraxia – interruption of nerve function with demyelination.
Remyelination occurs in 3 weeks. Weakness is present. May develop quickly and resolve in minutes.
2) Axonotmesis – Axonal damage and Wallerian degeneration. Weakness is present and persists.