Definition: A burner, also called a stinger, is a common injury in contact sports, especially football. The exact mechanism of the injury is not well understood, but a burner is thought to be due to either stretch or compression, or a combination of both, of the brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that has just exited the spinal cord. These nerves travel across the shoulder and into the arm. Symptoms of a burner are sudden pain and tingling extending from the neck and down the arm into the fingers.
Most often burners are transient injuries, but they can be serious if they are persistent or recurrent. If a player has recurrent burners, he or she should be removed from competition until evaluated by a physician.
Also Known As: Stinger
