Surfer's myelopathy

Surfer's myelopathy is a rare nontraumatic injury causing paraplegia which is paralysis below the waist. It is a spinal cord injury caused by hyperextension of the back. When the back is hyperextended, a blood vessel leading to the spine can become kinked, depriving the spinal cord of oxygen The condition gets its name because the phenomenon is most often seen in those surfing for the first time, but it can be caused by any activity in which the back is hyperextended (yoga, pilates, etc.). In some cases the paralysis is permanent.

Prevention

According to DPT Sergio Florian, some recommendations for preventing myelopathy is proper warm up, limiting the session length and sitting on the board while waiting for waves, rather than lying.

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  A surfer paddling.

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  A surfer paddling.

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  Surfer sitting on his board, thereby resting his back.

History

A case series of 19 novice surfers with nontraumatic myelopathy was published in 2012, with all patients' MRI scans showing hyperintensity from the lower thoracic spinal cord to the conus medullaris. An additional study of 23 cases was published in 2013.

See also

• Rehabilitation in spinal cord injury –  –

Further reading

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