OBJECTIVE The soft cervical collar has been prescribed for whiplash injury but has been shown to be clinically ineffective. As some authors report superior results for managing whiplash injury with a cervical brace, we were interested in comparing the mechanical effectiveness of the soft collar with a rigid cervical brace. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure ranges of motion in ...

This study aimed to analyze the design of cervical collar devices for elderly patients with central cord syndrome during physical therapy-based rehabilitation and to summarize related patient needs. To design a cervical collar device that met patient needs, a physician and patients who had worn a cervical collar for more than three months were both interviewed to collect opinions from a profess...

BACKGROUND Patients suffering head trauma are at high risk of having a concomitant cervical spine injury. A rigid cervical collar is usually applied to each patient until spinal stability is confirmed. Hard collars potentially cause venous outflow obstruction and are a nociceptive stimulus, which might elevate intracranial pressure (ICP). This study tested the hypothesis that application of a h...

BACKGROUND Cervical orthoses are commonly used for extrication, transportation, and definitive immobilization for cervical trauma patients. Various designs have been tested frequently in young, healthy individuals. To date, no one has reported the effectiveness of collar immobilization in the presence of an unstable mid-cervical spine. STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine the extent to which cervica...

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of a SAM splint molded into a cervical collar with that of a Philadelphia cervical collar at limiting movement of the cervical spine in 5 different movements. METHODS This study was prospectively carried out in 13 healthy volunteer subjects. A hand-held goniometer was then used to measure degrees of maximal extension (starting in a maximally flexed posit...

BACKGROUND Cervical collar brace protection of the cervical spine at the scene of the incident is the first priority for emergency medical technicians treating patients who have sustained trauma. However, there is still controversy between over- or underprotection. The objective of this study was to survey the cervical spine injury of lightweight motorcycle accident victims and further evaluate...

STUDY DESIGN In vitro biomechanical study. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to determine the effectiveness of cervical collars and cervicothoracic orthoses for stabilizing clinically relevant, experimentally produced cervical spine injuries. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Most previous in vitro studies of cervical orthoses used a simplified injury model with all ligaments transected at a single spin...

INTRODUCTION In blunt trauma, comatose patients (Glasgow Coma Scale score 3 to 8) with a negative comprehensive cervical spine (CS) computed tomography assessment and no apparent spinal deficit, CS clearance strategies (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] and prolonged cervical collar use) are controversial. METHODS We conducted a literature review to delineate risks for coma, CS instability, pr...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE The application of a cervical collar is a standard procedure in trauma patients in emergency medicine. It is often observed that cervical collars are applied incorrectly, resulting in reduced immobilization of the cervical spine. The objective of this study was to analyze the practical skills of trained professional rescue personnel concerning the application of cervical co...