Sports and Chiari

General
1

Hello just wondering what other doctors have told their patients. My daughter is 15 and is 5mm herniated. She has many symtoms, numbness in hands/feet, migraines, sore neck/shoulders/lower back and achey all over, blurry vision the odd time, stomache problems, hand shakes sometimes, a couple of black outs but not full black out just where everything goes dark and she thinks she's going completely out but just looses vision etc. Some days she feels good and others are tougher. My question is she is huge into sports(goalie in a rep lacrosse team, goalie in rep hockey team and goalie in field hockey, and very active to stay fit. We have two neurosurgeons that see her and one has told her to stop contact sports immediately or she could be paralyzed from the neck down or die, the other said her motor skills are ok at the moment and if she feels well enough to participate in sports she cleared her to do so, and said anyone could be paralyzed or die if they got hit in the right spot in the back of the neck and that the skull and spinal cord protect her. It's two totally different opinions but second dr. gave her dr's note to continue with sports so I am assuming she must be really confident to put her licence on the line to let her go back. Has anyone else had any talk about this with thier neurologist?

Thanks

Brooke's mom

2

My son is 14 and has a 5 mm herniation also. He was also told by one doctor, not to participate in any sports. Yet, another doctor said if he wants to he can, cause anyone can get hurt just walking down the street and you can't be worried about it all the time. I tend to side with the first doctor!

3

My NS didn't inform me of any limitations or precautions to take before or after surgery. But I have researched it and EVERYWHERE I have looked says NO CONTACT sports. Yes, any sport can result in injury. Yes you can walk out your door and never make it back home. But there was a 6 year old boy who had untreated Chiari and died in March when he fell off his wagon and hit the back of his head. I don't tell you this to scare you. I tell you so you know the risks. If it was my child I would have her do stuff like swimming, yoga, golf, stuff that does not put her in risk of having a hit from a person or ball. I hope this helps. Good luck.