Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Oct 1985
Case ReportsAcquired isolated axillary neuropathy: an unusual complication of quadriplegia.
This report describes a rare case of acquired axillary neuropathy in a 17-year-old C-5 quadriplegic man who developed right axillary neuropathy after sleeping for six hours in a far-right lateral decubitus position. Two days after the onset of shoulder weakness, his shoulder abduction strength was found to have decreased 1 1/2 grades from measurements made 2 weeks before. ⋯ Six and one-half months later, after strengthening exercises and shoulder joint support to prevent subluxation, the patient recovered deltoid strength and upper extremity function beyond that seen at the onset of the axillary neuropathy. This case emphasizes the importance of proper body positioning of spinal cord injured (SCI) patients to prevent peripheral nerve compression and further disability.