ABSTRACT
Most cervical spine injuries in sports are stable injuries requiring careful nonoperative treatment. These injuries include cervical strains and transient brachial plexopathy (TBP). Catastrophic spine injuries in sports are rare but tragic events that may lead to permanent disability. The sports with the highest risk of catastrophic spinal injuries are football, ice hockey, wrestling, diving, skiing, snowboarding, rugby, cheerleading, and baseball. A common mechanism of injury for all at-risk sports is an axial compression force to the top of the head with the neck slightly exed. The authors review the spectrum of cervical spine injuries in the athletic population, common mechanisms of injury, on-eld management of the athlete with a cervical spine injury, and sports-specic injuries in the at-risk sports (Table 42.1).
