I play defensive back for my high school football team. Early last season I was making a tackle and felt a sudden shooting pain into my left arm. It was like a lightening bolt. The discomfort and tingling went away after a few minutes. My coach said it was “just a burner” but the same thing happened three or four times since then. Is this common to keep recurring like this?

“Burners” are fairly common in football and other collision sports. They usually happen when making a tackle. If your shoulder is used in the tackle and your head is tilted away from that shoulder, a sudden stretch of the brachial plexus network of nerves, under the collarbone, can result in the “lightening bolt” that you felt. It is basically a stretched nerve.

Most of these resolve within a few minutes but sometimes some weakness can occur and you should be checked for this when one of these episodes occurs. I am concerned about the recurrent burners that you are experiencing and I would ask you to remain out of football until this is properly checked. You should be checked for any residual weakness or nerve damage, and also the possibility of symptoms coming from your cervical spine or neck area which can also easily be injured in football.

Be sure you are using proper tackling technique and that your equipment, especially shoulder pads, are properly fitting.

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