Spinal injuries in the young athlete are not common, accounting for only ~5% of yearly spinal injuries within the UK (NHS England, 2018). The majority however involve the cervical spine (neck), and as such carry with them the greatest risk of life changing consequences if manged incorrectly. It is therefore essential that all staff involved in adolescent sports know how to manage a potential spinal injury, with the goal of ensuring player safety (Dowdell et al 2018).
The following section will address spinal injuries, particularly the neck, sustained within a sport setting, but the principles apply for any setting.
The key aims are as follows:
- Understand some basic anatomy of the spine.
- Understand the key indicators that a cervical spine injury may be present.
- Know how to carry out appropriate management in a pitch-side setting.
Well done! Keep going!
Oh no…please have a stand up, do 5 star jumps, have a sip of water and then continue learning!