# Trama to head and neck but arms are numb



## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

Yesterday my front tire caught an edge while slipping off of a skinny at a considerable amount of speed. I was thrown fast to the side of the trail where a tree was waiting. I got knocked hard to the ground where my partner had me lay still until I could slowly get up.

There was no problem with disorientation so I knew a concussion hadn't occured but what disturbed me then, and still is now, is the numb tingly weakness in my arms. Let me explain that my head and neck absorbed all the force as is evident with my cracked helmet, broken riding glasses, bruised face and sore neck. And I have pain between my shoulder blades due to my head being forced sideways and back.

Is it likely I have swelling in the pulled muscles in my neck and back that are putting pressure on the nerves to my arms? Should I be concerned or is this fairly common with neck injuries and will subside with a few days of rest?


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## BoomerBrian (Jun 27, 2011)

Definitely get it checked out ASAP. My wife had similar symptoms and it was due to a ruptured disc in her 3-4. It was so bad one wrong move and she was a quad. The scary thing is she was still functioning with the severe rupture.


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## Rigid (Nov 27, 2004)

No brainer. Get checked out ASAP.


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks for the advice, I went to the ER today and got x-rayed and CAT scanned. There is no disk or bone damage, only swelling due to strained muscle. It was an expensive visit (over 3K) but worth the peace of mind.


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## BoomerBrian (Jun 27, 2011)

Glad to hear you are ok. Being out 3k sucks but better safe than sorry when it comes to head and spine trauma.


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

Thanks Boomer :thumbsup:


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## wsmac (Sep 5, 2010)

Too late for dispensing advice... on time to hear the good news.
Glad you're alright.

Any plans to change what you wear for protection? Just curious.
What were you wearing at the time?

I've hit hard enough too many times, so I now where a full-face when I figure I'll be jumping anything, hitting decent rock gardens, anything closely related to DH.
I recently acquired body armor and I'm fixing to shop for a neck brace as well.

For most trail riding though, I still go with just my half-shell bike helmet, and maybe elbow/knee pads.. depending on the trail and what I know of it.


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

wsmac said:


> Any plans to change what you wear for protection? Just curious.
> What were you wearing at the time?


Since I was on my XC hardtail and riding a XC trail I was only wearing minimal gear, a halfshell helmet and gloves. I doubt I'll do it different next time even tho I have a Leatt neck brace I use for MX, just because the odds are with me something like that was so rare for it to happen again. It was a feak accident so I don't see the need for a knee-jerk reaction. If I hit my head in a car accident, I wouldn't start wearing a helmet when I drive.


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## Metalhack (Aug 13, 2011)

wsmac said:


> Too late for dispensing advice... on time to hear the good news.
> Glad you're alright.


Up on my Paramedic sized soapbox....

Its not too late for advice....if theres any question of possible neck or back injury I really suggest you call 911 and go by ambulance. Too risky any other way.

Glad your OK.


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## wsmac (Sep 5, 2010)

Metalhack said:


> Up on my Paramedic sized soapbox....
> 
> Its not too late for advice....if theres any question of possible neck or back injury I really suggest you call 911 and go by ambulance. Too risky any other way.
> 
> Glad your OK.


My post was regarding his immediate question.. which he had already answered before I posted.:thumbsup:

Off my medic soapbox...


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

*Update:*

Finally got in to see my regular Doc today and received considerably more info, ER people could give a poop. So he says I have a brachial plexopathy, very common in contact sports. Makes sense to me since I had contact with a tree. The only real cure is time. So far in the past week, I've lost 90% of the tingling numbness but hardly regained any of the lost strength in the left arm. He's taken me off the muscle relaxers (said they're pointless) and has me doing some rehab with light weights to stimulate the weakened muscle (left tricept mostly). Hope this helps anyone with a similar injury.


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

Brachial plexus injury are common in mtb, people reach out to grab a tree to stop a bad fall and it stretches all the nerves... It can be a very debilitating injury and takes a year to recover(if at all) in some cases. 

What I don't understand is how both sides are affected? usually with trauma to that region it's unilateral, which makes me wonder why it isn't a spinal injury. I am not a doctor though and my knowledge of those function is limited so don't let me worry ya!!

Good luck man, this is a serious injury so get into some PT have an EMG and NCV to monitor progress.


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

electrik said:


> What I don't understand is how both sides are affected? usually with trauma to that region it's unilateral, which makes me wonder why it isn't a spinal injury.


It's predominantly the left side. The first morning after I had 80% numbness in the left arm and 20 in the right, in hindsight I'm thinking that 20% in the right may have even been psychosomatic...I was pretty freaked. Since the ER visit it's all been unilateral to the left.

I tried getting on the bike (in the yard) this past weekend but didn't have the strength to keep my upper body pushed up when I crouched behind the bars, so I'm gonna give it longer til I ride. I did work all last week though (carpentry) and did some trailwork with a volunteer group yesterday, and felt that actually helped limber me up. Still though, where I used to do 20 pushups evey morning, this morning I could only manage about 3.


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

FatTireGoose said:


> It's predominantly the left side. The first morning after I had 80% numbness in the left arm and 20 in the right, in hindsight I'm thinking that 20% in the right may have even been psychosomatic...I was pretty freaked. Since the ER visit it's all been unilateral to the left.
> 
> I tried getting on the bike (in the yard) this past weekend but didn't have the strength to keep my upper body pushed up when I crouched behind the bars, so I'm gonna give it longer til I ride. I did work all last week though (carpentry) and did some trailwork with a volunteer group yesterday, and felt that actually helped limber me up. Still though, where I used to do 20 pushups evey morning, this morning I could only manage about 3.


Try to get in for a nerve conduction velocity test, this way you will have a way to gauge improvement 6 months down the road. There are also nerve gliding exercises which you may find beneficial, but they might aggravate so up to you.

Good luck!


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## kzeiszler (Jul 2, 2011)

If I were you i would find a Good chiropractor to adjust your neck cuz you probably messed up the alignment of your cervical spine, and a good massage therapist to work out the muscle that you injured in the crash. The numb/tingling in your arm could be from a bone in your neck pinching a nerve or it could be a muscle refurring that sensation in to your arm most likely one of your scaliens in your neck that was strained by the crash.


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## FatTireGoose (Jun 19, 2009)

I'm not much on crack-a-practors but did have a deep-tissue massage yesterday, very beneficial. I'm back up to a doz at least push-ups too.


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## electrik (Oct 22, 2009)

FatTireGoose said:


> I'm not much on crack-a-practors but did have a deep-tissue massage yesterday, very beneficial. I'm back up to a doz at least push-ups too.


That's really good.


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