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Part 1/4 - Physiotherapy for Rugby Players - A Stinger

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I have only lived in Olney for a few years, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that the heart of the town is undoubtedly Olney RFC. With 100’s of active members and players, there is always something going on at the club, so this series of blogs is for all you rugby players out there. All of you who play the unforgiving game, from those who have picked up a knock at the weekend and want to be fit for the next game. To those who feel they have been nursing an injury for years and feel they may be a little past it to play the game you love. I can help!


The range of injuries you can receive from this brutal game is vast. I have been fortunate enough to work for many amateur and professional rugby clubs over my career and know a thing or two about rugby injuries. Over the next 4 blogs I hope to share some of that experience with you. I will split this rugby series into 4 separate blogs about the most common injuries I have seen from the world of rugby. I hope you enjoy!


  1. Blog 1 - A ‘Stinger’

  2. Blog 2 - Lateral Ankle Sprains

  3. Blog 3 - Shoulder Instability / Dislocation

  4. Blog 4 - Concussion

 

A Stinger


If you have spent much time in a rugby changing room, you have probably heard the phrase ‘A Stinger’. If you have ever been unfortunate enough to get one yourself, you will have experienced the sharp, electric shock type pain down your arm and potential ‘dead’ like feeling down the arm for a few hours or even days after the match. From an anatomical point of view, a stinger is when your neck or arm, during a collision, is temporarily stretched or pinched for a split second. Like with all things there are different severities of stinger, the most severe cases can last for weeks. Getting a physio to check the nerve is still working properly is crucial for a speedy recovery.


Surrounding all nerves there is a sheath which can become inflamed when the nerve is injured. So, when you get a stinger the most important thing is to try and encourage the nerve to drain away the inflammation. In order to do this effectively you need to first work out which of the three main nerves down your arm is affected. During a physiotherapy assessment at TOP Physiotherapy we will do some tests to assess exactly which of the nerves are affected. Once we have identified this, we can put a treatment plan in place to reduce this inflammation. This can rapidly shorten the recovery time from a stinger. A word of warning! If your symptoms last longer than a few days post-match please get in touch so we can go through a few quick questions to see if you need to come in for an assessment. We will also do some hands on treatment during the physio session that will help flush out the neuro-inflammation, which will improve the nerves recovery time significantly.

 

Below are some examples of some of the positions we put people in to assess their neuro-dynamics. If none of these positions reproduce your symptoms you may be ok to play at the weekend. If these cause you any issues then it is best to get checked out properly.



TOP Physiotherapy Olney - Ulnar Nerve
TOP Physiotherapy Olney - Radial Nerve






TOP Physiotherapy Olney - Median Nerve


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