Suspect spinal injury

Aquatic Spinal Injury Management Spinal injuries can occur in the following regions of the spine: •the neck (cervical spine) •the back of the chest (thoracic spine) •the lower back (lumbar spine) The cervical spine is most vulnerable to injury,which must be suspected in any victim with injuries above the shoulders. More than half of spinal injuries occur in the cervical region. Suspected spinal injuries of the neck, particularly if the victim is un conscious, pose a dilemma for the rescuer because correct principles of airway management often cause some movement of the cervical spine. The most common causes of spinal cord injury are: • a motor vehicle, motor cycle or bicycle incident as an occupant, rider, or pedestrian • an industrial accident (workplace) • a dive or jump into shallow water or water with obstacles or being "dumped" in the surf • a sporting accident, (eg.rugby, falling from a horse) • a fall from greater than a standing height e.g. ladder, roof