"Chiari malformation (kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun) is a condition in which brain tissue extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward."
- Mayo Clinic Staff (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chia...)

For almost 10 years my 15-year-old brother has been riding BMX, playing hockey, football, and lacrosse, riding his dirt bike, snowmobile, and water skiing. All things a normal teenage boy would do. Up until last fall we thought he was just a typical boy who occasionally got migraines. Until the day he got a concussion. My mom had taken him to a doctor for an MRI and they diagnosed him with Arnold Chiari Malformation. Basically what this means is that a part of his brain is seeping down out of his skull and hitting his spinal cord.

I know, it sounds gross and weird. If it doesn't sound gross and weird then you're probably thinking "What the hell."

Patients, like my brother, who are diagnosed with this malformation are usually born with it but recent studies have shown that injuries and infections could also lead to this. Although the injury and infection belief can happen, it's very uncommon, just like the malformation itself.

Only one in 1,000 people are born with this disorder. This figure could be inaccurate because most people with Chiari have the chance of never having any symptoms.

Chiari has a very wide range of symptoms but can't be diagnosed just based on them because they can be the reaction from something as common as the cold. Some of the symptoms are dizziness, muscle weakness, numbness, vision problems, headaches, and a lack of balance and coordination. With the exception of numbness and vision problems you would probably just guess that the person with these symptoms either, has a concussion, or maybe the flu.

Other more serious symptoms to look for are pain in the lower back, head, and neck, difficulty swallowing, and sleep apnea. Strenuous activities, like sports and heavy lifting, plus bending over can trigger symptoms, so it's best for patients with Chiari to take it easy and be careful what they do.

My mom recently found a website with a list of things Chiari patients CAN'T do. (http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/A...) Some of the "NO-NO's" are roller coasters, 4-wheelers, water skiing, soccer, basketball, ANY contact sport, chiropractors, and really anything that involves moving your spine quickly. My favorite no-no has to be this though: "DON'T participate in any physical activity that puts you in jeopardy of falling and or creating trauma of any kind."

Walking is a physical activity and lets be honest, most people fall when they walk. So sorry runners with Chiari, can't do it anymore. Not only are you at risk of falling and getting head trauma it's also a quick movement that's also a huge NO.

There are ways to treat Chiari though, so all you runners may have a shot! One of the lesser performed treatments is electrocution. They zap part of your cerebellum with high-frequency electrical currents to shrink it. Another form is posterior fossa decompression surgery. This surgery removes part of the bottom of the skull and sometimes some spinal column to allow for more spinal fluid to freely move through your neck and head. It leaves a pretty gnarly scar, but after the surgery, you have a chance to possibly play contact sports again and continue living a normal, not careful life.

For more information about this malformation you can search for awareness groups on facebook or go to http://www.webmd.com/brain/chiari-malformation-sym.... There is also a Chiari Institute in Great Neck, NY which specializes in this malformation and helps to spread awareness about this disorder. Their website is http://www.chiariinstitute.com/.

To help spread awareness of this disorder, share this post as well as the Chiari ribbon which is below.