CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Athletes need to be at the top of their game but many are sidelined by a condition that common to many sports called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
In this health report we take a closer look at the causes, impact and treatment for this disorder that affects the upper extremities.
Aino Otava is a record holding swimmer at the University of Miami but in 2021, during her sophomore year, she suddenly started to struggle to put her arms over her head.
“And then I started noticing weakness and then I kind of progressed to getting numb feeling in my arm and just kind of like burning like I would finished practice and it would feel like someone was lighting my arm on fire,” she said.
Otava was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
UHealth vascular surgeon Dr. Stefan Kenel-Pierre said it’s actually three related syndromes involving compression of the nerves, arteries and veins in the lower neck and upper chest area.
“So if you think about these three different entities they are divided and treated very differently,” he said.
In Otava’s case the cause was neurogenic and when physical therapy failed to relieve the problem, surgery was the only option .
“Whether we’re dealing with compression as a result of the major arm artery that’s being compressed or the major vein from the arm that’s being compressed or the nerves of the arm, depending on where that compression happens your treatment can be very different,” Kenel-Pierre said.
Otava has made a full recovery and is now back to fulfilling her dream as a student athlete.
“I didn’t even do my own hair like a year ago so I’m really grateful that I can do all that stuff and swim at a high level and swim so much better it definitely lifted a big burden off of my shoulders,” she said.
Depending on the type of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, delay in diagnosis can lead to serious risks such as clot formation.