Symptoms, which include shooting pain down the arm and numbness in the arm, usually occur after contact collisions near the head and shoulders. If the exam reveals anything abnormal, the player should be kept out of the game and evaluated by a physician. But if the player's symptoms go away on their own and the exam is normal, the player may be able to return to the game. Enlarge Image Strong neck muscles may help prevent stingers. Cervical collars or other devices attached to a football player's shoulder pads designed to prevent excessive neck motion usually aren't effective in preventing stingers.
Stingers tend to occur more often at the high school level of sports.
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