Cervical and Thoracic Spine Injuries

Cervical and thoracic spine injuries are not uncommon in sports. Cervical spine injuries are especially common in collision sports such as football and ice hockey, occurring in 10% to 15% of U.S. football players. Fortunately, most of these injuries are self-limited, and full recovery is usually achieved. Devastating injuries, however, do occur. Between 1982 and 1994, there were more than 300 catastrophic injuries involving the cervical spine. Approximately 7% of all cases of spinal cord injury are related to athletics.

Anatomy

The spinal column, or “backbone,” is actually a series of 24 ...

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