Überlastungsbedingte Knochenmarködeme der Hand bei Sportkletterern.

Summary: Background: Sport climbers strain the passive and active anatomical structures of their hands and fingers to their maximum when training as well as in competitions. Materials and Methods: For 17 high level climbers with diffuse pain in the hand and wrist joint, we ran MRI with standard sequences. Results: In 12 patients the MRI revealed osseous edema due to overload at the respective area of interest, mainly in the distal radius, the distal ulna or the carpal bones, which could not be identified as other diagnoses such as inflammations, tumors or injuries. We classified those edema as due to overload. Conclusions: The edema resulted as a stress reaction to highly intensive training and climbing, with presumably high traction to the wrist area. The therapy of choice consisted of consequent stress reduction and a break from sporty activity. The control MRIs demonstrated that even with a consequent stress reduction these edema need 3 to 4 months to disappear completely. Climbers with diffuse pain in wrist and fingers should be examined with MRI and the posing of the question of a bone edema. Level of Evidence: “Case series” mit Evidenzlevel III-IV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]