Spine Injury
Of the 11,000 annual cases of spinal cord injury in the United States, sport participation is the second leading cause for individuals between the ages of 16 and 30.
According to the 2009 NATA position statement, an average of 7.8 catastrophic cervical spinal injuries with incomplete recovery and six quadriplegic events occur annually in football alone. Advances in research and rule changes have paved the way towards improvements in prevention and best practices management of acute spinal injury.
NATA Position Statements
NATA Official Statements
- EMS Changes to Pre-Hospital Care of Athlete with Acute Cervical Spine Injury (pdf) (2014)
- Calling Crown of Helmet Violations( pdf) (2014)
Spine Injury in Sport Group
The Spine Injury in Sport Group (SISG) was developed out of the prior Inter-Association Task Force on Pre-Hospital Care of the Spine-Injured Athlete. NATA partnered with The Sports Institute at UW Medicine, University of Washington Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and NCAA to participate in and assist with sponsoring the project. The SISG used the international concussion group and their consensus statements as a model of development.
- Consensus Recommendations on the Prehospital Care of the Injured Athlete With a Suspected Catastrophic Cervical Spine Injury
- Best Practices and Current Care Concepts in Prehospital Care of the Spine-Injured Athlete in American Tackle Football
- Spine Injuries in Sports-Managing On-Field Cervical Spine Injuries Produced by the Sports Institute at UW Medicine