• Jason P Mihalik, Josh R Beard, Meredith A Petschauer, William E Prentice, and Kevin M Guskiewicz.
• Department of Exercise and Sport Science, Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. jmihalik@email.unc.edu
• Clin J Sport Med. 2008 Sep 1;18(5):394-8.

ObjectiveTo investigate cervical spine motion during a log roll technique in ice hockey players under different helmet fit conditions.DesignProspective counterbalanced design.SettingUniversity research laboratory.ParticipantsEighteen club ice hockey players were recruited to participate in this study.Assessment Of Risk FactorsA standard emergency log roll was performed 3 times under each of 3 different helmet fit conditions: properly fit, improperly (competition) fit, and helmet-removed.Main Outcome MeasurementsFrontal, sagittal, and transverse plane cervical spine motion were used as outcome measures.ResultsSignificantly less sagittal and transverse plane motion occurred during the helmet-removed condition. No differences in frontal plane motion among the 3 conditions were observed.ConclusionsPresence of helmet (whether properly fit or not) resulted in increased of sagittal and transverse plane movement. This suggests that when an ice hockey helmet is stabilized, the head within it is not. We recommend the helmet and face shield be removed before performing an emergency prone log roll.

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