Acute cervical Spine injuries

Abstract

Athletic cervical spine injuries can range from mild sprains to fracture dislocations with complete neurologic injury. Fortunately, serious cervical spine injury in athletics is rare, but certain sports such as football and gymnastics do carry a higher risk than others. Timely diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent deterioration of a given injury. Understanding when an athlete can safely return to play after a cervical spine injury is necessary to prevent secondary injury. This chapter will cover common cervical spine injuries in athletics, with a focus on clinical and radiographic diagnosis, acute management of the injury, and timing for return to play.