Central cord syndrome in a 7-year-old boy secondary to standing high jump

Pediatr Emerg Care. 2014 Sep;30(9):640-2. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000213.

Abstract

Acute traumatic central cord syndrome is commonly associated with major trauma such as falling and motor vehicle crash, but minor or nontraumatic causes are very rare in children. As a consequence, most physicians frequently overlook children presenting with complaints of arm weakness when history of any definite major trauma does not exist, especially in the emergency department. We present the case of a 7-year-old boy who was experiencing weakness in both arms after a standing high jump with tilting his head back in school. He had no history of any definite trauma and no evidence of bone abnormalities on plain radiography and computed tomography of the cervical spine. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine revealed observable swelling with increased signal intensity at C1 to 4 levels. This case showed a spinal cord injury caused by standing high jump with neck extension alone. Therefore, the physicians have to consider the possibility of spinal cord injury even without any history of major trauma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Athletic Injuries / diagnostic imaging*
  • Athletic Injuries / etiology
  • Central Cord Syndrome / diagnostic imaging*
  • Central Cord Syndrome / etiology
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Radiography
  • Track and Field / injuries*