Compressive Neuropathy of the Deep Motor Branch of the Ulnar Nerve in Amateur Cyclist

Abstract

A 36-year-old female amateur cyclist developed mononeuropathy of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve due to nerve compression adjacent to the ulnar tunnel (type II Guyon's canal syndrome) caused by prolonged bicycle riding. The patient's signs and symptoms persisted even after refraining from cycling for 4 weeks; thus, she underwent decompression of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve in the palm and wrist. Three months postoperation, she recovered nearly full power and function of her left hand.

The Physiatrist’s Guide to Cyclist Palsy: A Narrative Review

“…1 Since then, there have been numerous case reports describing this phenomenon, some of which refer to this condition as "handlebar palsy." [2][3][4][5] For the purposes of this article, we consider these terms interchangeable.…”

“…In 1975, Eckman and colleagues 1 were among the first to report ulnar neuropathy in a road cyclist, a condition now commonly known as “cyclist palsy.” Their case report detailed a 22-year-old man presenting with weakness of the interossei, abductor digiti minimi (ADM), and adductor pollicis (AP) muscles after cycling greater than 3000 miles across the United States 1 . Since then, there have been numerous case reports describing this phenomenon, some of which refer to this condition as “handlebar palsy.” 2–5 For the purposes of this article, we consider these terms interchangeable.…”