It is very common for teenagers to encounter injuries due to sports or physical activities. Knowing what to do after an incident can be very crucial to finding out the main cause of pain.
A 16-year-old male was jumping on a trampoline when he fell and complained of neck sprain.
The patient was seen in the ER and sent home without any radiology.
Dr. Kingsley Chin, board certified orthopedic surgeon advices that all trauma patients have a cervical spine injury until proven otherwise.
It is important to clear the C-Spine which is defined as confirming the absence of cervical spine injury. Cervical spine clearance can be performed with physical examination and radiographic images. The fact that delayed clearance is associated with increased complication rates warrants this criteria.
Missed cervical spine injuries:
May lead to permanent disability
Careful clinical and radiographic evaluation is paramount
A high rate of missed cervical spine injuries due to inadequate imaging of affected level loss of consciousness.
Multisystem trauma
All cervical spine injuries necessitate careful examination of the entire spine.
The patient should be called back immediately for an urgent review and proper clearance with examination and radiology.
If anyone has experience these symptoms call 855-411-LESS to schedule an evaluation.