CRPS In Athletes: Everything You Need To Know

Athletes are known for being health buffs, keeping a strict diet, and adhering to stringent discipline. While this is not easy, all these practices ensure they stay in the best physical condition and remain at the top of their game.

However, athletes are only human and can get hurt like everyone else. Though their bodies are stronger and healthier, they are still at risk for diseases and injuries. To a certain extent, they may even have more health concerns than others because of the strain and stress they regularly experience as they force their bodies beyond their limits.

According to statistics, male athletes tend to get injured more than their female counterparts, but women are more prone to overuse injuries like tendinitis or a stress fracture. Meanwhile, more than 10% of children and teenagers involved in sports get injured yearly. Sometimes, these injuries can lead to a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS.

What Is CRPS

Previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and causalgia, CRPS is a broad term used to identify excessive pain experienced by certain patients following a trauma to the body, such as a fracture, surgery, or injury particularly in the arms and legs. The pain felt by the patient is also more severe and lasts longer than expected from his injury.

To date, there is no fixed diagnosis and treatment for this condition, according to the Spero Clinic Arkansas, which is why many patients go undiagnosed for a long time before finding relief. The average CRPS patient will go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for years before they are lucky to find out what is wrong with them. Many figure it out on their own with the help of the Internet and have to then set out to prove it to their doctors.

After numerous experimentation and clinical observations, experts have narrowed down the possibility that CRPS is primarily a disease of the central nervous system. It is believed that it is caused by the nerves in the affected area becoming more sensitive and responsive to pain, leading to issues with the brain and the immune system. The long period of immobilization during recovery from injury and the decreased use of the injured body part are also possible causes of CRPS.

Types Of CRPS

The condition can occur in anyone, including children, but records show women have a higher risk of developing this disease. What distinguishes CRPS from other pain-related conditions are autonomic and inflammatory signs such as sweating, increased sensitivity, and changes in skin color or temperature in the affected area.

Patients often describe the experience as debilitating and the pain to be burning. Some have repeated episodes, while others report that the symptoms disappear forever after a few months. While symptoms and experiences vary per patient, experts have categorized CRPS into two types.

Type 1 is related to a lighter injury, such as a fracture or sprain, but has no nerve damage. In contrast, type 2 is associated with more severe injuries like a broken bone or surgery where there is clear evidence of nerve damage.

To identify the prevalence of CRPS Type 1 in athletes, researchers conducted a study involving 20 clinical cases of CRPS patients who practiced different sports, including soccer, gymnastics, athletics, and basketball. They found that the condition occurred most often in younger players, most of whom are females. CRPS also had a higher occurrence in the lower limbs for athletes compared to the general population, and diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 4 years.

CRPS In Sports Medicine

While there are no specific tests yet that can be used to diagnose CRPS, doctors use other ways to identify the condition. For athletes, a sports medicine physician will check all the symptoms being experienced by the patient and perform a detailed physical exam.

In some cases, additional laboratory examinations like blood tests may be required to rule out infections or rheumatologic disorders. Other tests that may be conducted include x-rays, ultrasounds, or MRIs to check other possible causes and symptoms.

Unfortunately, researchers have not yet found a way to prevent CRPS from occurring in patients who have suffered physical trauma or injury. However, it is always best to comply with the recommended treatment and undergo physical therapy after the injury. This would help the patient recover faster, regain mobilization, and be able to use the affected area more often, thus avoiding the possible causes of CRPS.

Because the pain experienced by CRPS patients is often debilitating and affects their quality of life, the attending physician will primarily focus on decreasing the pain and increasing function. Treatment will vary per patient, which depends on their current condition, pain level, and the symptoms that have manifested.

Athletes who suffer from CRRPS may return to normal activities after a full recovery, but this takes time and needs the patient’s full cooperation with the treatment. In some cases, patients would continue to have symptoms despite the therapy. If this happens, the treatment goal would be to decrease the pain level and enable the patient to resume selected activities while improving his quality of life.