An unusual presentation of tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by an inflatable ice hockey skate

It's in the game: A review of neurological lesions associated with sports

INTRODUCTION

The practice of sports may lead to neurological injuries. While relatively uncommon (overall incidence of approximately 2.5%), and mostly benign and transient, some conditions may be life-threatening and permanent. Thus, both clinical neurologists and sports physicians should be aware of their existence and relevance. We aimed to review all sports-related neurological injuries and illnesses reported in the literature.

METHODS

Following SANRA guidelines, we performed a narrative review and searched PubMed and Scopus databases. Relevant sports were selected based on their recognition as an Olympic sport by the International Olympic Committee. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and other neurodegenerative disorders were not included.

RESULTS

A total of 292 studies were included concerning 33 different sports. The most reported neurological injury was damage to the peripheral nervous system. Traumatic injuries have also been extensively reported, including cerebral haemorrhage and arterial dissections. Non-traumatic life-threatening events are infrequent but may also occur, e.g. posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, cerebral venous thrombosis, and arterial dissections. Some conditions were predominantly reported in specific sports, e.g. yips in baseball and golf, raising the possibility of a common pathophysiology. Spinal cord infarction due to fibrocartilaginous embolism was reported in several sports associated with minor trauma.

CONCLUSION

Sports-related neurological injuries are increasingly receiving more social and medical attention and are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. This review may serve as a guide to physicians managing these challenging situations.

The effect of medial and lateral calcaneal osteotomies on the tarsal tunnel

BACKGROUND

As an entrapment phenomenon, tarsal tunnel syndrome has been described after calcaneal osteotomy, and since the tibial nerve has also been shown to be very sensitive to ankle position, position of the calcaneus after osteotomy and displacement was thought to likely influence the environment of the tibial nerve within the tarsal canal. The respective volume of the tarsal canal was therefore hypothesized to decrease with medial or lateral displacement osteotomies of the calcaneus.

METHODS

Anterior and posterior calcaneal osteotomies were made in cadaveric matched pairs and brought through sequential medial and lateral displacements. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to estimate the comparative resultant volume of the tarsal canal after each of these new positions were assumed, as compared with baseline. The proximity of the osteotomy cut to the nerve's location was also measured.

RESULTS

The tarsal tunnel volume was calculated for all 5 displacement states and were as follows: far-lateral (9506 mm(3)), near-lateral (10 073 mm(3)), normal (11 839 mm(3)), near-medial (11 489 mm(3)), and far-medial (11 760 mm(3)). No significant difference in tarsal tunnel volume was identified between the normal, nondisplaced specimens in the anterior or posterior groups (11 954 mm(3) vs 11 809 mm(3)). No difference in tarsal tunnel volume was identified between the anterior and posterior osteotomies at any of the 4 displacements. The distance from tibial nerve to the medial exit site of the osteotomy was found to be significantly less in the anterior group compared to the posterior group (4 mm vs 14.2 mm, P < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Lateral, but not medial, osteotomy fragment displacement results in significant reduction of tarsal tunnel volume. The location of the cut does not seem to affect any substantive change in volume. Anteriorly placed osteotomies appear to jeopardize the neurovascular structures more than posteriorly placed osteotomies.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

These findings provide surgeons with clinical evidence in support of performing a prophylactic tarsal tunnel release for patients undergoing lateralizing calcaneal osteotomies.

Focal conduction block in a case of tarsal tunnel syndrome

We report a case of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) with focal conduction block across the tarsal tunnel (TT). A 46-year-old woman had pain in the left foot, sensory loss on the plantar surface, and positive Tinel sign over the TT. TTS was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and surgery. Motor nerve conduction studies showed focal conduction block across the TT. Conduction block has rarely been reported in TTS. In this case, conduction block provides evidence for focal demyelination as the primary pathological process in TTS.

Neurologic injuries in hockey

Ice hockey is a fast contact sport played on an ice surface enclosed by rigid boards. There is an intrinsic risk for injury in hockey, with many injuries potentially affecting the nervous system. This article provides an overview of neurologic injuries occurring in hockey as reported in the scientific literature. Among all injuries, a small but real risk for catastrophic cervical spinal cord injury and a high incidence of concussion emerge as the two most important neurologic issues.

Posterior tibial nerve--primary

Tarsal tunnel is an uncommon disorder of the foot that presents as a burning or tingling pain that is located diffusely on the plantar aspect of the foot. Many investigators have considered tarsal tunnel syndrome to be analogous to carpal tunnel syndrome. As more becomes known about tarsal tunnel syndrome, it is evident that this is not purely an entrapment neuropathy. It differs from carpal tunnel syndrome in anatomy, etiology, clinical presentation, and response to nonoperative and operative treatment.