Surfer's myelopathy: case report and review

CJEM. 2011 Sep;13(5):357-60. doi: 10.2310/8000.2011.110349.

Abstract

Nontraumatic spinal cord injury from surfing is a new entity first described in 2004 and likely of ischemic etiology. We report the case of a 25-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a 2-week history of lower extremity weakness after surfing in Indonesia. The patient reported developing low back pain, lower extremity weakness, sensory changes, and urinary retention shortly after his first surfing lesson. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with surfer's myelopathy. The purpose of this report is to review the clinical presentation, etiology, risk factors, and management of this increasingly described entity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Athletic Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / etiology
  • Spinal Cord Ischemia / complications
  • Urinary Retention / etiology