SPORTS MEDICINE
 GREGORY SMITH. M.D.



Bicyclists"

hands numb
Q: I am an avid rider, but
 my hands go numb
when I am cycling. Got any
thoughts?
A Symptoms of bicycling
 induced ulnar tunnel
syndrome are commonly seen-
in people who do a lot of rid-
ing. The combination of pro-
longed gripping and constant
leaning on the handlebars can
lead to sustained pressure, on
the ulnar nerve, which causes
hand weakness and sensation
changes most commonly in
the fourth and fifth fingers.
 Patients will often report
they have begun to notice it is
becoming more difficult to do
fine motor tasks with the
hand (such as writing and
picking up change) and that
their last two fingers are
numb. This is different from
carpal tunnel syndrome,
which causes numbness in
the first three fingers.
 Another common neuro-
logic compression in cyclists
is caused by the hard seat and
leads to compression of the
pudendal nerve, which causes
numbness in the groin andj
upper thigh region.
 A study of 169 participants
in a bicycle touring race
found that 22 had complaints
of hand numbness and weak-
ness of at least one week's
duration, while nearly 10 per-
cent reported they had had
symptoms for almost six
months.
 Patients with this condition
show typical physical signs
and further diagnostic!
workup may not be needed.
However, if other conditions
are suspected or need to be
ruled out, then radiographs,
MRI or nerve conduction
studies may be required.
 Treatment of bicycle
induced ulnar tunnel syn-
drome usually involves rest,
splinting, padded gloves and
anti-inflammatory medica-
tions. The duration of symp-
toms often signals the likely
duration until recovery; that
is, the longer you have it, the
longer it takes to get better.
 Riders are encouraged to
seek changes in position with
the handlebars, such as lean-
ing on the elbows instead of
the hands. Recovery is usual-
ly complete without a need for
surgical treatment.
, I got kneed in the thigh
 playing basketball.
Alt ough is was hard to walk
and run, I finished out the
game. When I got home, I
kept my knee straight and put
ice on it overnight. I am still
sore and it's been almost a
week. What should I have
done differently?
A. Once you were hurt,
 you should have defi-
nitely called it a night and
stopped playing. A deep thigh
contusion leads to damaged
muscle tissue and bleeding.
Continuing to try and tough it
out only made things worse.
 Next to occur in the cas-
cade of events following
injury is an inflammatory
response and attempted heal-
ing through scarring. I agree
with putting ice on the muscle
to try and reduce this .
response, but you made a
small error keeping your
knee straight. Putting your
knee in a bent position keeps
the muscle in a more elongat-
ed position and makes it less
likely to tighten up and allows
any healing to occur out to
full length.
 Typically the muscle is
more sore the next day, but
don't let this keep you from
getting things moving. Taking
the knee through a gentle
range of motion will again
help improve blood flow, heat
the muscle up and jump start
the healing process. Sports
creams, compression thigh
sleeves and over-the-counter
anti-inflammatories are other
measures that can help make
your thigh feelbetter.
 This column is written to


discuss issues regarding sports,
medicine and safety. It is not
intended to serve as a replace-
mentfor treatment by your reg-
ular doctor. Specific concerns
should be discussed with a
physician. Mail questions to
Gregory Smith, M.D., 1250 S.
18th Street, Suite 204,
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034.
Call 261-8787or visit
www.gsmithmd.com.


INAPRAU


SPORTS-


12A


PIRATES ELIMINA TED


 PHOTOS BYBETHJONES/NEWS-LEADER
The 2007-8 season came to a halt Wednesday for the Fernandina Beach High School boys soccer team. The
Pirates finished at 18-3-2 after a 2-0 loss to the host Bolles Bulldogs in a District 4-3A semifinal match.
"(Wednesday night was) the biggest game of the season. Since I have been coach, we have never beaten
Bolles or lost to them. We tied three times," said FBHS Head Coach Joshua Dunn. Pirates in action
Wednesday: Kyle Shearer, top left; Nick Morrell, top right; and Jorge Rojas, left. Right, Dunn talks strategy
with his players at halftime. The Pirates advanced to the semifinal with a 10-0. rout of Ribault on Tuesday.
William Hunt scored a trio of goals and the Pirates got one each from Adam Buechler, Chris Castro, Robby
Phillips, Jason Olbina, Pete Davito, Chris Head and Kinsey Langshaw. Bolles advanced to tonight's champi-
onship game against Episcopal, a semifinal winner over Bishop Snyder Wednesday.


ON THE WATER WITH
 TERRY LACOSS


FBHS girls cap season with wins over Yulee, Bolles

 BETH JONES
 News-Leader


 The Lady Pirates (17-5) tacked
on two more wins this week to
close out the regular season before
entering the district tournament
nextweek. The Fernandina Beach
High School girls basketball team
defeated Yulee Tuesday and Bolles
Wednesday.
 Tuesday was the final game in
Pirate Gym for FBHS seniors India
Johnson, Haley Tan and Brittany
Schetrompf, who were honored
before the game. All three were
in double figures in the 57-51 vic-
tory over the visiting Yulee Lady
Hornets.
 Johnson and Tan had 14 points
apiece and Schetrompf had 13.
Johnson also pulled down nine
rebounds and had six steals. She'
was 7-of-10 from the free-throw
line. Tan had eight rebounds, three
assists and five steals. Schetrompf
had three steals.
 Whitney Small and Julia
Belcher had five rebounds each
and Small also had four steals.
 "I knew it would be tough,"
FBHS Coach Mike Landtroop said.
"Playing a team three times in a
season always makes for a good
game. Our offense was producing
at every position in the first quar-
ter and then we started to struggle.
Yulee"s (Jennifer Pelham) pro-
duced offense, from beginning to
end and was very difficult to stop.
 "The Pirates let Yulee gain a
one-point lead in the fourth quar-
ter and then came out with a very
strong defensive stand to gain our
lead back. Yulee put together some
strong runs but the Pirates defend-
ed their home court."
 Pelham had 23 points to. lead
Yulee. Dee Dee DeBerry chipped
in nine points.
 "We did not play our best game
against Fernandina," YHS Coach
Brian Shuster said. "We let them
get too many easy points early in
the first quarter. We dominated
them the second and third quar-
ters but we could not overcome
their early lead.
 "We played very timid, which
isn't like us. I know the girls real-
ly wanted to play well. We got close
at the end but it wasn't enough.
Fernandina did an excellent job of
taking advantage of our mistakes
and trying to spread our defense.
 "Despite losing our last two
games against Fernandina, I'm
hoping we can get a rematch in
the district tournament. It all
depends how the brackets are set
up."
 Both teams play in the District
4-3A tournament at Ribault next
week.
 "No matter how well we do in


Above left, Yulee's Jennifer Pelham led the Lady Hornets with 23 points when
they visited Fernandina Beach Tuesday. Above right, FBHS's Ebony Peterson
and YHS's Dee Dee DeBerry battle for the ball. Left, FBHS's India Johnson
shoots with Pelham defending. Below, FBHS seniors, from left, Haley Tan,
Johnson and Brittany Schetrompf.
PHOTOS BY BETH JONES/NEWS-LEADER


the tournament, our season has
been a success," Shuster said.
"Last year, you could count our
wins on one hand and still have a
finger left over. Now, we are tied for
second place in the district, have
double-digit wins and a winning
season. We can compete with any-
body.
 "I'm proud of this team, no mat-
ter what the outcome of this
game."
 Yulee (13-5). will close out the
regular season tonight at Baker
county.
 "We would like to get even for
our earlier loss," Shuster said.
 The regular season ended with
another win for the Lady Pirates


Wednesday. They defeated Bolles
47-39.
 "Down by nine at the half, the
Pirates never gave up and kept
believing," Landtroop said. "We
changed our defense and made
some adjustments at half and came
out ready to play. We closed the
gap to two points by the end of the
third quarter.
 "Whitney Small had a couple
of three-pointers to shift the
momentum of the game to the
Pirates and, once we got the lead,
we did not let up.
 "I am very proud of this group
for their wonderful attitudes and
never-give-up style of play. We have
finished the regular season at 17-


5 and are ready to gear up for the
playoffs."
 Johnson had 19 points, six
rebounds and four steals and was
perfect at the foul line (4-for-4).
Tan had 16 points, six rebounds,
three assists and two steals. Small
had six points, two rebounds, an
assist and a block. Ebony Peterson
pulled down six boards and had
two steals. Lindsey Young had four
rebounds.
 The FBHS boys (14-6 overall
and 5-3 in the district) edged the
West Nassau Warriors 44-43 Tues-
day in Callahan.
 "We struggled throughout
offensively with Carlos Holcey and
Jake Brogdon giving us just


enough to get us by," FBHS Coach
Matt Schreiber said. "Trey
Kublbock hit a huge basket from
about 10 feet with about a minute
to play and them it was just a mat-
ter of holding on until time ran out.
It was an ugly road win which is
beautiful to me."
 Brogdon and Holcey both had
15 points. Holcey had six rebounds
and five assists. Kublbock finished
with six points, eight rebounds,
two assists and two blocks.
 The Pirates traveled to Bolles
Thursday and host Bishop Snyder
and former FBHS Coach Lou
Pereira tonight. Games are at 6
p.m. (junior varsity) and 7:30 p.m.
(varsity).


 FRIDAY, JANUARY 25. 2008
NEWS-LEADER/ FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA



 Cooksey's out,


 Whittenburg's in


 again at Hilliard

 DAN SHANKS
 Community Newspapers
 After a brief and tumultuous tenure, Hilliard foot-
 ball coach Al1Cooksey was terminated last week, and
 with the help of what Hilliard Middle-Senior High
 School Principal Dale Braddock called a "miracu-
 lous" recovery, PaulWhittenburg is ready to reassume
 his coaching duties.
 Whittenburg was unable to coach the football
 team in the 2007 season, due to some serious health
 issues that left him in the hospital for about four
 months at the beginning of the year.
 "Through the grace of God and the prayers of a
 whole lot of Hilliard people, (Whittenburg is healthy
 again)," Braddock said.
 At the end of November, Whittenburg expressed
 the desire to coach the football team in 2008.
 Braddock said he had no idea that Whittenburg would
 make such a speedy recovery, but it is very clear to-
 him that Whittenburg is ready to lead the Flashes foot-
 ball team.
 "Coach Whittenburg is getting stronger every-.
 day," Braddock said. "We want him to take it easy. But
 I know if he says he can get it done, he can get it done.
 Coach has invested 30 years into the Hilliard com-
 munity and the program. If the season started today,
 (Whittenburg) would be the coach." Braddock added
 that Whittenburg is extremely determined to get
 back on the field, and he is already leading the foot-
 ball players in the weight room.
 Braddock also said that Whittenburg will coach the
 weightlifting team in the spring. According to
 Braddock, the only thing that would keep-
 Whittenburg from coaching is if his health worsened-
 to the point where he would be unable to coach.
 In Whittenburg's absence, Cooksey was hired to
 coach the football team back in April. Cooksey, who:

 COACH Continued on 13A