Hi everyone!
For this week's topic, I am choosing to write about spinal cord injuries. The human spinal cord is a very fragile part of the body, as well as important. Humans need the spinal cord so we can carry out our normal daily activities. It is a very complex part of the body, and when it is compromised by sport related injury, the effects can be catastrophic.
The National Athletic Trainer's Association stated that there are 11,000 spinal cord injuries that happen annually. The NATA also stated that 7.8 catastrophic cervical spine injuries happen annually in football alone. These injuries can be devastating, and it is crucial that sports medicine staff and emergency staff know how to manage an acute spinal cord injury in sports.
Spinal cord injuries occur from a devastating blow to the head or trunk, more specifically, a direct force to the crown of the head, putting an axial load on the cervical spine. Many physiological responses and symptoms happen after a traumatic spinal cord injury like muscle spasm, neurological symptoms, alerted consciousness, neurovascular compromise, posturing, pain, and other altered mental symptoms. One main thing one must worry about when a catastrophic spinal cord injury occurs is instant assessment of vitals and immobilization. An athlete's life could be at stake in these situations, so it's crucial that trained personal has rehearsed a plan for immobilization and transport. Communication as well as planning is so important. What you want is for the athlete to be transported to emergency care as safely and as quickly as possible. The best way to prevent these injuries from happening is proper education and equipment management.
Works Cited: http://natajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.4085/1062-6050-44.3.306?code=nata-site
I had no idea that there were as many as 11,000 spinal cord injuries each year. What is more alarming is the number of spinal cord injuries connected with football injuries. Football holds a huge interest in our family, so I am very familiar with the sport and injuries that can come. One injury type that gets a lot of attention is the concussional type of injuries. I think your blog brings great awareness to the facts that football players are not only at a great risk for concussion injuries, but spinal cord injuries as result of hard blows to the head. Reading your blog makes me appreciate the 'targeting' rule that is now in place a little more. Thank you for such an informative read!
ReplyDeleteI think people now a days don't even think about what could happen to their spinal cord if they get a head injury. Most people only think about a concussion, but if they do have a spinal cord injury this could be life threatening. I also find it very concerning that there are 11,000 spinal cord injuries annually which means there needs to be more rules set in place or technology to lower this number. I liked how you explained the not only physical injury from damaging your spine, but also the physiological problems that could arise as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's shocks me that there are so many spinal cord injuries each year and even though athletic trainers and other first responders and medical personnel do the best they can to prevent these injuries and manage them after the fact, it never seems like enough is done. I agree that the best way to prevent spinal cord injuries is through education. Without knowing the signs, symptoms and steps for prevention and managing spinal cord injuries then athletes would be worse off.
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