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Acute Cervical Spine Injuries

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Spinal Injuries and Conditions in Young Athletes

Part of the book series: Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine ((PASM))

Abstract

Athletic cervical spine injuries can range from mild sprains to fracture dislocations with complete neurologic injury. Fortunately, serious cervical spine injury in athletics is rare, but certain sports such as football and gymnastics do carry a higher risk than others. Timely diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent deterioration of a given injury. Understanding when an athlete can safely return to play after a cervical spine injury is necessary to prevent secondary injury. This chapter will cover common cervical spine injuries in athletics, with a focus on clinical and radiographic diagnosis, acute management of the injury, and timing for return to play.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA

    Assist. Prof. Robert V. Cantu MD, MS

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, Massachusetts, USA

    Robert C. Cantu MD

Authors
  1. Assist. Prof. Robert V. Cantu MD, MS
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  2. Robert C. Cantu MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert C. Cantu MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Lyle Micheli

  2. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Cynthia Stein

  3. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Michael O'Brien

  4. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Pierre d’Hemecourt

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Cantu, R., Cantu, R. (2014). Acute Cervical Spine Injuries. In: Micheli, L., Stein, C., O'Brien, M., d’Hemecourt, P. (eds) Spinal Injuries and Conditions in Young Athletes. Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4753-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4753-5_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4752-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4753-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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