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Direct recording of local pressure in the radial tunnel during passive stretch and active contraction of the supinator muscle

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Summary

The radial tunnel syndrome is recognized as on cause of lateral elbow pain. This investigation demonstrated pressures of 40–50 mm Hg exerted on the posterior interosseus nerve by the edge of the superficial supinator muscle during passive stretch of the supinator muscle. During active muscle contraction caused by tetanic nerve stimulation, the pressure was about four times greater. Intermittent nerve compression of this magnitude might well cause nerve injury and thus explain the pain and local nerve tenderness observed in patients with the radial tunnel syndrome.

Zusammenfassung

Das Radialtunnelsyndrom ist eine der Ursachen der Schmerzen im lateralen Bereich des Ellenbogens. Diese Untersuchung zeigte, daß die Kante des M. supinator superficialis während passiver Strekkung des M. supinator Druche von 40–50 mm Hg auf den N. interosseous dorsalis anzieht. Während aktiver Muskelkontraktion, bei tetanischer Nervenstimulierung, war der Druck etwa 4mal so hoch.

Wiederholte Nervenkompression dieses Ausmaßes kann sicherlich einen Nervenschaden verursachen und somit Schmerzen und lokale Nervenempfindlichkeit erklären, wie sie bei Patienten mit einem Radialtunnelsyndrom beobachtet werden.

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Werner, CO., Haeffner, F. & Rosén, I. Direct recording of local pressure in the radial tunnel during passive stretch and active contraction of the supinator muscle. Arch. Orth. Traum. Surg. 96, 299–301 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432870

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