Type of Submission
Poster
Keywords
Spine boarding, athletic training, certified athletic trainer
Abstract
Background: The prehospital care of spinal injuries is a debated topic amongst those in the area of emergency medicine. There is great risk for a spinal cord injury following a direct trauma.1 This risk is increased after medical professionals have come to the aid of the victim, increasing risk for further injury from 1.8%-10% in a hospital and up to 25% at the injury scene.1 Past research has shown the need for improved care and education of spinal injuries. There are many areas of dispute under the general topic of spine boarding. Methods: The researcher drafted a two part survey and sent it out to all Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students that are members of the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association. The survey consisted of both multiple choice and open ended questions. After the 20 day window was closed, the researcher analyzed the results and compared answers between Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students. Results: The respondents to the survey came from a variety of backgrounds including but not limited to: NCAA Division I, II, and III, high schools, and professional sports. Of the Certified Athletic Trainers who responded, 14.05% said they had never spine boarded before while 35.83% of Athletic Training Students said they have never spine boarded before. Both Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students said that they primarily use a rigid spine board for spinal immobilization. In general, the answers were similar between Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students. Conclusions: Given the results of this survey, it is clear that more work is to be done on the topic of spine boarding protocols in the athletic setting. The majority of participants indicated that the tools and methods they currently use in their setting is not the gold standard of care for spinal injuries. This research proves that athletic trainers must find a way to provide a higher level of care for their athletes in all settings.
Campus Venue
Stevens Student Center Lobby
Location
Cedarville, OH
Start Date
4-11-2018 11:00 AM
End Date
4-11-2018 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Common Spine Boarding Practices in the Athletic Setting: A Survey of Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students
Cedarville, OH
Background: The prehospital care of spinal injuries is a debated topic amongst those in the area of emergency medicine. There is great risk for a spinal cord injury following a direct trauma.1 This risk is increased after medical professionals have come to the aid of the victim, increasing risk for further injury from 1.8%-10% in a hospital and up to 25% at the injury scene.1 Past research has shown the need for improved care and education of spinal injuries. There are many areas of dispute under the general topic of spine boarding. Methods: The researcher drafted a two part survey and sent it out to all Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students that are members of the Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association. The survey consisted of both multiple choice and open ended questions. After the 20 day window was closed, the researcher analyzed the results and compared answers between Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students. Results: The respondents to the survey came from a variety of backgrounds including but not limited to: NCAA Division I, II, and III, high schools, and professional sports. Of the Certified Athletic Trainers who responded, 14.05% said they had never spine boarded before while 35.83% of Athletic Training Students said they have never spine boarded before. Both Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students said that they primarily use a rigid spine board for spinal immobilization. In general, the answers were similar between Certified Athletic Trainers and Athletic Training Students. Conclusions: Given the results of this survey, it is clear that more work is to be done on the topic of spine boarding protocols in the athletic setting. The majority of participants indicated that the tools and methods they currently use in their setting is not the gold standard of care for spinal injuries. This research proves that athletic trainers must find a way to provide a higher level of care for their athletes in all settings.
