Study Reveals Emergency On-Field Treatment for Neck Injuries in Young Collision Sports Athletes No Different T...(10 minutes is critical tohow the patient...),Health

Treme and David Diduch, MD, principle investigator, professor, and team physcian at University of Virginia studied 31 boys from a local youth football league between the ages of 8 and 14. X-rays were taken of each child lying down wearing shoulder pads only, wearing helmet and shoulder pads and wearing no equipment. Next, they measured the alignment of the head, neck and spine to determine if the head tipped back, risking further damage. After examining the X-rays, the study investigators determined that there was no statistically significant difference in alignment when the children wore no equipment compared to wearing both helmet and shoulder pads. However, alignment changes seen with shoulder pads only were considered unacceptable and could place the athlete at risk if the helmet alone was removed.

"With this study, there is at least some information we can use for the 8 - 14 year old age range, in the unfortunate event of suspected neck injuries on the field," said Treme. "The 'all or nothing' policy for adult emergency on-field treatment is also appropriate for kids between 8 and 14."

The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is a world leader in sports medicine education, research, communication and fellowship, and includes national and international orthopaedic sports medicine leaders. The Society works closely with many other sports medicine specialists, including athletic trainers, physical therapists, family physicians, and others to improve the identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. For more information, please contact AOSSM Director of Communications, Lisa Weisenberger, at 847/292-4900 or email her at lisa@sportsmed.org. You can also visit the AOSSM Web site at http//www.sportsmed.org.