Skip to main content

Congenital Cervical Spine Anomalies, Sports Medicine

Sara Neal, MD, MA, CAQSM Reviewed 04/2019
 


BASICS

  • Congenital cervical spine anomalies (CCSA) are not common.

  • They can exist in isolation or as part of a syndrome; 50% are part of the Klippel-Feil syndrome.

  • Congenital fusion of two or more cervic...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

CCSA may present with an episode of transient paresis after trauma; more commonly, they are asymptomatic or present with nondescript symptoms such as neck pain or stiffness, headaches...

TREATMENT

  • Conservative treatment (e.g., activity modification, bracing, and traction) may reduce symptoms. Indications for and timing of surgical stabilization are not clearly defined; consider for si...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Return to play recommendations are primarily expert opinions: 
  • Absolute contraindications to contact/collision sports: odontoid abnormalities, oc...

REFERENCES

1
Tracy MR, Dormans JP, Kusumi K. Klippel-Feil syndrome: clinical features and current understanding of etiology. Clin Orthop Relat Res.  2004;424:183–190.
2
Steyaert A. Cervical spine an...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Davis G, Ugokwe K, Roger EP, et al. Clinics in neurology and neurosurgery of sport: asymptomatic cervical canal stenosis and transient quadriparesis. Br J Sports Med.  2009;43(...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Absolute contraindications to contact/collision sports: odontoid abnormalities, occipitoatlantal fusion, Klippel-Feil syndrome with fusions above C3, and atlantoaxial instability 4,5[C...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

×