Radial Neuropraxia: An Occupational Risk!

The author's present a case with supporting evidence- based evaluation and management of a 31-year-old right-hand-dominant healthy man presenting with a chief complaint of pain, numbness, and loss of strength in the distal left upper extremity over a 24-hour period. The patient reported an occupation-related injury, after lying on his left side for several minutes at a time, while performing maintenance of an aircraft fuselage. Initial evaluaton and management was differentiated as an acute radial nerve compressive inury causing a characteristic “wrist drop,” of the affected extremity. The incidence of radial nerve injury is relatively high in contrast to its adjacent peripheral nerves of the upper extremity. An anatomical vulnerability exists at the level of the cervical spine and along the humeral diaphysis promoting compression pathology. The author's contend that with a high index of suspicion based on history, detailed and focused examination, radial nerve injuries resulting in acute neuropraxia can be managed conservatively with reasonable return to baseline function.