title: Expert opinion and controversies in musculoskeletal and sports medicine: stingers.
abstract: Stingers are a common injury in contact sports and are characterized by acute lancinating pain in 1 upper extremity with or without associated weakness and neck pain. Appropriate on-field evaluation is necessary to identify the extent of injury and rule out structural injuries to the head, spine, or shoulder girdle. Although athletes can often return to play after a single acute event that resolves rapidly, those who have recurrent events, persisting pain, or strength deficits require a thorough diagnostic evaluation before return-to-play decisions can be made. In some circumstances, players sustaining a single stinger or multiple recurrent stingers may be permanently removed from participation in collision or contact sports.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. CJS1@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Standaert
authors.forename: Stanley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Herring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012008:Recurrence; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed