A case of dorsal scapular neuropathy in a young amateur boxer

Abstract

Neuropathies of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint are a well-documented cause of pain and weakness in sports people. Repetitive or excessive traction on the nerve supplying the affected muscle is believed to be the primary mechanism. We describe a case of this phenomenon in a young amateur boxer which has never been described in the literature previously. We document our hypothesis on the mechanism of injury as well as a successful treatment strategy we employed. This paper is designed to highlight shoulder pain with associated winging of the scapula should make one wary of a dorsal scapular neuropathy particularly in a sports person who utilises repetitive forceful actions.