title: Effect of long-term physical exercise of peripheral nerve: comparison of nerve conduction study and ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the effects of long-term physical exercise on peripheral nerve using both nerve conduction study (NCS) and ultrasonography (US).
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors measured nerve conduction study and ultrasonography in 15 male (mean, 20±1.5 years) handball players and 13 male (mean, 21.3±1.9 years) control subjects. Cross-sectional area of the median nerve was evaluated using ultrasonography at the carpal tunnel and 6 cm proximal to the wrist, and the ulnar nerve at 6 cm proximal to the wrist crease, 2 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle, the epicondyle, and 2 cm distal to epicondyle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  US shows significantly increased cross-sectional area of both median and ulnar nerve in the players compared with that in the controls, and the latency times in both nerves were significantly delayed in the players compared with that in the controls. Cross-sectional area of the median nerve showed a significant correlation with latency (r=0.330, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the players have a tendency toward having both median and ulnar motor nerve damage in the wrist or elbow region although they are asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. tsuneo_w@gifu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakakibara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugimori
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yabumoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeyama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seishima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult