General Considerations on Muscle Denervation in Sports Activities: Shoulder Entrapment Syndromes and Compressive Neuropathies

Abstract

It is not uncommon to see nerve entrapment syndromes in athletes. As a consequence of the Wallerian degeneration of a motor nerve, muscle denervation can occur. The denervated muscle fiber will develop a vasogenic edema. These abnormalities are seen electromyographically and with MRI at 48 h. MRI is the key imaging technique for diagnosis of shoulder neuropathy, determining the location of the trapped nerve, and highlighting intrinsic or extrinsic lesions causing compression of the nerve. In this chapter, the basic imaging findings of muscle denervation are reviewed, the value of the imaging techniques is explained and the shoulder neuropathy syndromes associated with denervation are described.