Acute atraumatic quadriparesis in a college football player

Transverse myelitis is a rare neurologic disorder. It is an interruption of spinal cord function not caused by macrotrauma. Symptoms develop rapidly and consist of ascending paralysis, diminished or absent sensation below the cervical or thoracic region, and often urinary retention. Etiologies include parainfectious events, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, vascular insufficiency, paraneoplastic myelopathy, postvaccinial events, idiopathic occurrence, and minimal trauma. Treatment generally consists of supportive measures. The use of steroids to hasten recovery remains controversial but is routine in most cases. The time period and degree of recovery is variable. We present a case of rapid onset of neurologic symptoms in a college football player right before a game. No other sports related cases have been reported in the sports medicine literature. Diagnostic, therapeutic, and historical aspects of this rare but important disorder are discussed.