Equipment management in sports is a critical component of managing suspected cervical spine injuries and ensures that care is provided while minimizing movement of the spine. A coordinated and trained medical team should assess the necessity of removing equipment, such as helmets and shoulder pads, while using proper stabilization techniques to prevent further injury. The decision to remove equipment should be based on factors such as access to the airway, the fit of the equipment, and the ability to maintain spinal alignment. Policies and procedures should include regular training and rehearsals for equipment removal to ensure efficiency in high-stress situations. Collaboration with EMS is essential to align protocols and ensure seamless transitions in care.
Richard Boergers, PhD, ATC & Thomas Bowman, PhD, ATC, Co-PI
The helmet chinstrap inhibits quality ventilation (rate and volume) in airway procedures which require the seal of a mask with the face. However, the King Airway (KA) will allow quality ventilation of patients with a helmet on and chinstrap fastened. If a KA is not available, the helmet may need to be removed to provide quality ventilations. Lacrosse shoulder pads interfere with correct hand placement during CPR but do not inhibit the ability to administer chest compressions with adequate rate and depth so they may be left in place to initiate CPR.
“Consensus Recommendations on the Prehospital Care of the Injured Athlete With a Suspected Catastrophic Cervical Spine Injury” Mills et al, 2020.The Delphi process identified 8 key questions to be answered by a systematic review. A group refined the final conclusions and recommendations until consensus was achieved.
“Best Practices and Current Care Concepts in Prehospital Care of the Spine-Injured Athlete in American Tackle Football March 2-3, 2019” Courson et al, 2020.This manuscript offers a practical treatment guide with several resources and photographs to help athletic trainers identify how to conduct trainings and drills to promote emergency preparedness skills, particularly in the area of emergency equipment management.
“The Effect of Lacrosse Protective Equipment on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Shock” Bowman, et al 2020. "Completing the initial cycle of chest compressions over either shoulder pads or a chest protector hastens the time to first chest compression without diminishing CPR quality, which may improve patient outcomes. The time to the first AED shock was not different between equipment procedures or pad types."
"Epidemiology of Catastrophic Head and Cervical Spine Injuries in High School and College Football 2000/01 through 2019/20”(Kucera et al, 2022) S-58. "Incidence of catastrophic head and cervical spine injuries in US high school and college football does not appear to be decreasing significantly."
This content was developed in part by Samantha Scarneo-Miller, PhD, ATC, Tom Bowman, PhD, ATC, and the NATA Foundation Educational Resources Committee.
