Sciatic nerve injury caused by a stretching exercise in a trained dancer.
Sciatic nerve injury after stretching exercise is uncommon. We report a case of an 18-year-old female trained dancer who developed sciatic neuropathy primarily involving the tibial division after routine stretching exercise. The patient presented with dysesthesia and weakness of the right foot during dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The mechanism of sciatic nerve injury could be thought as hyperstretching alone, not caused by both hyperstretching and compression. Electrodiagnostic tests and magnetic resonance imaging revealed evidence of the right sciatic neuropathy from the gluteal fold to the distal tibial area, and partial tear of the left hamstring origin and fluid collection between the left hamstring and ischium without left sciatic nerve injury. Recovery of motor weakness was obtained by continuous rehabilitation therapy and some evidence of axonal regeneration was obtained by follow-up electrodiagnostic testing performed at 3, 5, and 12 months after injury.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Michuhol Rehabilitation Center, Incheon, Korea.
Ho Yong
HY
Shim
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Michuhol Rehabilitation Center, Incheon, Korea.
Oh Kyung
OK
Lim
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.
Keun Hwan
KH
Bae
Department of Radiology, Incheon Imaging Diagnostic Center, Incheon, Korea.
Seok Min
SM
Park
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Michuhol Rehabilitation Center, Incheon, Korea.
Ju Kang
JK
Lee
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Michuhol Rehabilitation Center, Incheon, Korea.
Ki Deok
KD
Park
Lower extremity; Muscle stretching exercise; Sciatic nerve lesion