Pediatric Surfer's Myelopathy

Shernaz Wadia; Pradeep Padmanabhan; Karen Moeller; Anna Rominger

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.06.065

Pediatric Surfer's Myelopathy

J Emerg Med. 2015 Nov;49(5):e143-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.06.065. Epub 2015 Sep 12.

Authors

Shernaz Wadia¹, Pradeep Padmanabhan¹, Karen Moeller², Anna Rominger¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Kosair Children's Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
² Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Kosair Children's Hospital, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.

PMID: 26371976
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.06.065

Abstract

Background: We present the case of the youngest known patient diagnosed with surfer's myelopathy. Surfer's myelopathy is a rare nontraumatic myelopathy. The most likely etiology, presumably, is arterial insufficiency related to spine hyperextension. Symptoms consist of back pain, urinary incontinence or retention, paraplegia, and sensory loss.

Case report: A 7-year-old girl presented with back pain, urinary retention, and lower extremity weakness after doing backbends during a cheerleading practice the day prior to presentation. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: With the trend of children becoming increasingly active in competitive sports at a younger age, surfer's myelopathy is a diagnosis that should be considered when the symptoms are present and the history consists of hyperextending the back. As in our case, a seemingly benign trauma can lead to the diagnosis of surfer's myelopathy.

Keywords: back injury; spinal cord injury; surfer's myelopathy.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Athletic Injuries / complications*
Athletic Injuries / diagnosis*
Back Pain / etiology
Child
Female
Humans
Lower Extremity
Muscle Weakness / etiology
Spinal Cord Ischemia / complications*
Spinal Cord Ischemia / diagnosis*
Sports*
Urinary Retention / etiology