The legend of plantar neuropraxia in long-distance athletes

Abstract

Background. Legend has it that endurance athletes who develop plantar foot pain during long-distance running frequently experience an eventual relief of pain due to a transient neuropraxia brought on by continued activity. Objective. To evaluate the nature of this legend, we assessed long-distance runners for the presence of sensory deficits before and after completion of an ultramarathon, expecting to find an induced neuropraxia and abnormal sensory results. Methods. Twenty-five adult participants of an ultramarathon were evaluated prior to their 50/100 km run and again upon completion of the race. Neurosensory testing was performed using a 10 g monofilament at 4 locations on each foot and a 128 Hz tuning fork at one location on each foot. The same techniques were used prior to, and at conclusion of the race. Results. We detected no neuropraxia or sensory deficits in any participant, despite reports by the same subjects that they had experienced the phenomenon during the race. While runners commonly report losing sensation in their feet during long runs, we were unable to demonstrate any sensory deficit with simple field-based testing. Conclusion. We believe that there is room for additional research to be performed using more sensitive means of neurosensory evaluation.S Afr J SM 2013;25(2):51-52.

Injury management programme at SA Rugby youth tournaments

“…The articles in this edition of the journal cover a broad scope, ranging from the effects of exercise on mood in breast cancer patients, [6] to the risk of cardiac arrest in young athletes. [7] There are also two articles on injuries associated with long-distance running, [8,9] an article on the fitness of women rugby players [10] and, finally, a study on the effects of over-the-counter dosages of pseudoephedrine on swim ming performance. [11] Enjoy the read!…”

Injury management programme at SA Rugby youth tournaments

“…The articles in this edition of the journal cover a broad scope, ranging from the effects of exercise on mood in breast cancer patients, [6] to the risk of cardiac arrest in young athletes. [7] There are also two articles on injuries associated with long-distance running, [8,9] an article on the fitness of women rugby players [10] and, finally, a study on the effects of over-the-counter dosages of pseudoephedrine on swim ming performance. [11] Enjoy the read!…”