Current sports medicine reports
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Curr Sports Med Rep · Feb 2005
ReviewField-side and prehospital management of the spine-injured athlete.
Rapid on-field diagnosis and early stabilization can help to optimize the outcomes of spinal injury, which can have devastating consequences. Several basic principles will guide the rescuer through this process. Preinjury planning should include appointing a team leader, assessing the athletes' equipment, acquiring appropriate equipment to facilitate stabilization, and establishing lines of communication to emergency medical services (EMS). ⋯ This should be followed by stabilization of the head and neck, a coordinated log roll, and ultimately complete spinal immobilization for transport. Specific techniques for stabilizing the cervical spine, removing the facemask, log rolling the athlete, and lifting the athlete, will improve outcome. The helmet and shoulder pads should remain in place during transport unless specific indications require their removal, in which case a specific protocol should be strictly followed.
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The expanding arena of sports and vigorous recreational activities is associated with an increased risk for sports-related injuries, including trauma to the teeth. Because dental professionals may not be present on site, in the best interest of athletes, it is suggested that sports medicine professionals who are present be provided with current evaluative, emergent, and referral protocols for proper management of sports-related dental injuries to address the immediate needs of the athlete and to enhance the long-term prognosis of the traumatized tooth. This article provides information related to some of the more common dental injuries encountered in sports, including crown fractures, root fractures, and traumatic tooth displacements. Use of properly fitted, custom-fabricated athletic mouth guards for the prevention of dental injuries is recommended strongly, as is the inclusion of a dentist on the sports medicine team roster.