A high school football player was hit from behind and is complaining of severe back pain and numbness to his right leg. Manual in-line spinal stabilization is being maintained by an assistant coach. Once at the patient's side, what should you do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first priority in a trauma patient is to always assess the airway and breathing to ensure adequate oxygenation and ventilation. In this case, the patient is complaining of severe back pain and numbness to his right leg, which could indicate spinal cord injury, so it is important to maintain manual in-line spinal stabilization. However, the airway and breathing must be quickly assessed to make sure the patient is stable before any transport or movement is attempted. Disconnecting the face mask or removing the helmet could potentially worsen spinal injury if not done correctly, and applying a cervical spine immobilization collar should only be done after the airway and breathing have been assessed.

A High School Football Player Was Hit from Behind and Is