One hard tackle, and suddenly a hot, electric zap shoots from your neck down one arm. Your hand tingles, the arm hangs heavy, and you shake it out on the way to the sideline. That is a burner, also called a stinger, and it is one of the most common nerve injuries in contact sports. Most stingers fade within minutes, but a few need real attention before you go back in. As a team that provides sports injury care in Cherry Hill, we see athletes who want clear answers, so here they are.
What Are Burners and Stingers?
Burners and stingers are temporary injuries to the nerves in the neck and shoulder, caused when those nerves are stretched or pinched during a hit or fall. The result is a sudden burning or electric pain that runs down one arm, often with numbness and weakness. In football, a stinger usually happens during a tackle or block, when the head is forced sideways, or the shoulder is driven down.
Burner Versus Stinger: Two Names, One Injury
There is no medical difference between the two terms. Some athletes call it a burner because of the burning feeling, and others call it a stinger because of the sharp sting. You may also hear “burner stinger syndrome” or “dead arm.” They all describe the same injury.
The Nerves Behind the Zap
The nerves that power your arm leave the spinal cord in the neck and join into a network called the brachial plexus. Burners and stingers usually affect the upper part of this network, the C5 and C6 nerve roots, which control the shoulder and biceps. In most cases, the nerve is “stunned” rather than torn, which doctors call neurapraxia. That is why feeling and strength usually return quickly.
What Causes a Stinger?
A stinger happens when force reaches the neck and shoulder faster than the nerves can handle it. There are three main ways this occurs.
|
Mechanism |
What happens to the nerve |
Common example |
| Stretch | The head is pushed one way while the shoulder is driven down the other way | A tackle that snaps the neck sideways |
| Compression | The head is forced back and toward the sore side, pinching the nerve root where it exits the spine | Taking a hit with the neck extended |
| Direct blow | Something strikes the nerve above the collarbone | A helmet or shoulder pad to the side of the neck |
Some athletes are more likely to get them:
- Players in contact sports, especially tackling and blocking positions
- Athletes with a narrow spinal canal (spinal stenosis)
- Anyone who has already had a stinger
Repeated stingers, or symptoms that keep returning, can point to stenosis or a disc problem. In those cases, spine rehab for athletes becomes part of the plan.
Why Football Players Get Stingers
Football is the sport most linked to stingers because tackling and blocking load the head, neck, and shoulders thousands of times a season. Studies suggest that 49 to 70 percent of college football players will have at least one stinger during their careers, and recurrence rates can reach 87 percent.
The burner is also a regular NFL injury. A 2024 study of NFL games from 2015 to 2019 found about 138 in-game stingers per season, with roughly a 3.7 percent chance that any given player would have one in a season. Running backs, linebackers, and defensive linemen had the highest rates.
Stingers are not just a football problem, though. Hockey, wrestling, rugby, lacrosse, and gymnastics athletes get them too. They sit on the list of the most common fall sports injuries for a reason.
Stinger Symptoms: What That Arm Zap Feels Like
Stinger symptoms come on right after the hit and usually affect only one arm. Common signs include:
- Burning or electric shock pain from the neck or shoulder into the hand
- Numbness or pins and needles in the arm or fingers
- Weakness when lifting the arm out to the side or bending the elbow
- A warm or heavy feeling in the arm
- An urge to shake the arm or hold it limp at your side
Neck pain is usually mild or absent with a typical stinger. That detail matters, because strong neck pain points to a different and more serious problem.
Are Neck Stingers Dangerous?
A single stinger is usually not dangerous. Most are short and leave no lasting damage. However, certain signs mean the injury may involve the spinal cord or the neck bones, and they need emergency care.
|
Typical stinger |
Red flag: get emergency care |
| One arm only | Symptoms in both arms or in the legs |
| Little or no neck pain | Pain or tenderness over the neck bones |
| Full neck movement | Painful or limited neck movement |
| Symptoms fade in minutes | Weakness that lasts or gets worse |
| Player is alert and clear | Headache, confusion, or other concussion signs |
Because the same hit can cause a concussion, every athlete with a stinger should also be screened for one. Ongoing numbness, tingling, or neck pain that spreads into the arm days later also deserves a proper evaluation.
How Long Does a Stinger Last?
Most stingers last a few seconds to a few minutes. Some take longer, and the duration helps show how serious the injury is.
|
How long symptoms last |
What it usually means |
| Seconds to minutes | A mild stinger; the most common case |
| Hours to a few days | A more significant nerve stretch; happens in about 5 to 10 percent of cases |
| Weeks or longer | A more severe nerve injury that needs medical testing |
For a shoulder stinger, recovery time also depends on how fast strength returns, not just the tingling. Pro football data gives a useful picture of stinger recovery time: about 76 percent of NFL players with a stinger missed no extra time, and those who did miss time were out for about five days on average.
Burner and Stinger Treatment
Treatment for burners and stingers is simple for most athletes: stop playing, let the nerve settle, and return only when everything is normal again.
On the Field: The First Few Minutes
The athlete should leave the game right away. A coach, athletic trainer, or doctor should check for neck pain, compare strength and feeling in both arms, and look for signs of concussion. If any red flag is present, the player should not be moved, and the helmet and pads should stay on until emergency staff arrives.
Care in the First Few Days
If symptoms last beyond the game, the usual plan is:
- Rest from contact until the arm feels and works normally
- Ice the base of the neck and shoulder for about 20 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, for the first 48 to 72 hours
- Use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine only if your doctor says it is safe
If you are unsure where to start, our guide on choosing urgent care or a physical therapist can help you decide.
When Physical Therapy Helps
Physical therapy is the next step when weakness lasts more than a few days, the arm still tingles, or stingers keep coming back. A sports physical therapist tests nerve function, neck motion, and shoulder strength, then builds a plan to restore them. That plan often includes shoulder pain treatment for lingering weakness and hands-on manual therapy to ease tight neck and upper back muscles.
Shoulder Stinger Rehab Exercises
Start these exercises only after the burning and tingling are gone, or with a therapist’s guidance. Stop any movement that brings back arm symptoms.
- Chin tucks: Gently draw your chin straight back, hold for 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times to wake up the deep neck muscles.
- Neck isometrics: Press your head lightly into your hand forward, back, and to each side without moving, holding each for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Shoulder shrugs: Lift your shoulders toward your ears and lower them slowly to build upper trap strength that supports the neck.
- Band rows: Pull a resistance band toward your ribs while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Band external rotation: Keep your elbow at your side and rotate your forearm outward to strengthen the rotator cuff.
- Wall angels: Slide your arms up and down a wall with your back flat to improve posture and shoulder blade control.
As strength returns, your therapist will add heavier loading and sport-specific drills, such as controlled contact and tackling form work.
When Is It Safe to Return to Play?
You can return to play after a stinger only when every sign of the injury is gone. Use this checklist:
- Full feeling in the arm and hand, with no tingling
- Full strength that matches the other arm
- Full, pain-free neck movement in every direction
- A clear concussion screen
- Clearance from a doctor, athletic trainer, or physical therapist
Never return with weakness or neck pain. A second hit on an injured nerve can turn a short stinger into a long one.
What Repeated Stingers Mean
One stinger that clears quickly usually needs no testing. Two stingers in the same season often lead to X-rays or an MRI before returning. Three or more can mean sitting out the season or longer. Repeated stingers can also lead to chronic stinger syndrome, where tingling and weakness linger between hits. If yours keep returning, read about why sports injuries keep coming back.
How to Prevent Stingers in Football
You cannot remove every risk, but these steps lower it:
- Tackle with your head up: See what you hit and never lead with the crown of the helmet.
- Build neck and upper back strength: Strong muscles help absorb force before it reaches the nerves.
- Fit shoulder pads properly: Pads that sit too low or loose leave the neck exposed.
- Add extra protection when needed: Players with repeat stingers may benefit from a neck roll, a cowboy collar, or spider pads.
- Get screened early: A movement and strength check during preseason preparation can catch weak links before contact begins.
Getting Help for Stingers in Cherry Hill
If a stinger is lingering or keeps coming back, Rehabletics NJ can help you get back on the field with confidence. Care is led by Dr. Jaime Mor, PT, DPT, ATC, a sports physical therapist and certified athletic trainer who works one-on-one with athletes across Cherry Hill and South Jersey. New Jersey allows direct access physical therapy, so you do not need a referral to start. When you are ready, book a free consultation, and we will build your return-to-play plan.
