Citation

Milles JL, Gallizzi MA, Sherman SL, Smith PA, Choma TJ. Sports Health 2014; 6(5): 440-445.

Affiliation

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1941738114544674

PMID

25177422

Abstract

Transient quadriplegia is a rare injury that can change the course of an athlete's career if misdiagnosed or managed inappropriately. The clinician should be well versed in the return-to-play criteria for this type of injury. Unfortunately, when an unknown preexisting syrinx is present in the athlete, there is less guidance on their ability to return to play. This case report and review of the current literature illustrates a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football player who suffered a transient quadriplegic event during a kickoff return that subsequently was found to have an incidental cervical syrinx on magnetic resonance imaging. The player was able to have a full neurologic recovery, but ultimately he was withheld from football.

Keywords: American football;

Language: en