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Prevention

Definition

[plexus injuries] can be defined as an injury which affects the nerves which send signals from the spine to your shoulder. This can be caused by the shoulder being pushed down and the head being pulled up which causes the nerves to be stretched or torn. Injuries associated with [[1]] commonly effect the brachial plexus nerves rather than other peripheral nerve groups. Due to the brachial plexus nerves being very sensitive to position, there are very limited ways of preventing such injuries. The most common victims of brachial plexus injuries consist of victims of motor vehicle victims and newborns.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists who are involved accidents are very susceptible to brachial plexus injuries due to the nature of the collision. “Brachial plexus injuries were identified in 54 of 4538 patients presenting to a regional trauma facility… Motor vehicle accidents were the most frequent cause overall.”

Many of these patients were forced to undergo reconstructive surgery. During [therapy], the position of the brachial plexus became very important in order to avoid further damage. “The risk can be reduced by thorough release of the tissues from the inferior surface of the clavicle before mobilization of the fracture fragments.” By wearing protective gear, like a helmet, a motorcyclist can help prevent nerve damage after collisions.

In this photo, the subject is performing an example of a motorcyclist colliding with the floor at an angle which may damage the brachial plexus nerves. One can see from the photo, the head and the shoulder are extremely separated which may cause the nerves in the between area to become stretched and maybe even torn. Wearing protective gear can help prevent nerve damage by providing extra support on the opposite side of the head which prevents over stretching of the neck.

Injuries During Birth

Brachial Plexus injuries also become an issue during the delivery of newborns. “…there were 80 brachial plexus injuries identified, for an incidence of 1.03 per 1000 live birth.” Nerve damage has been connected to birth weight with larger newborns being more susceptible to the injury but it also has to do with the delivery methods. Although very hard to prevent during live birth, doctors must be able to deliver a newborn with precise and gentle movements in order to decrease chances of injuring the child.