Soccer-related blunt chest trauma inducing aberrant supraventricular tachycardia and unmasking Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in an adolescent.
Journal of science and medicine in sport · 2026-04-01 · Case report
Abstract
We report a rare case of a hemodynamically unstable adolescent boy who developed aberrant supraventricular tachycardia following minor blunt chest trauma during soccer, successfully terminated with vagal maneuvers alone. Post-termination electrocardiography revealed previously unrecognized Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. This case demonstrates that seemingly minor blunt chest trauma during contact sports can precipitate clinically significant arrhythmias in children with occult conduction abnormalities. It further underscores the safety, effectiveness and the practical utility of vagal maneuvers while preparing for synchronized cardioversion and raises considerations for pre-participation cardiovascular screening, and for training coaches and first responders in performing vagal maneuvers in similar scenarios.