Heads Up, Don’t Duck! a program to decrease the risk for spinal cord injuries. Most people do not relate playing ice hockey with spinal cord injuries in the neck as they don’t happen often. But when a severe injury like a spinal cord injury does occur, the question is: What preventative measures could have been taken?
Prevention is usually possible, and should be the first thought in a player’s mind when entering the rink. Think of the countless hours spent skating, weight training, stretching, competing, and studying the sport, so the player can be prepared when the referee blows the first whistle at the start of the game. Knowing how to protect yourself against spinal cord injury is no different than knowing which goal to score against.
Cervical (neck) spinal cord injuries, though infrequent, can be devastating. These most often occur when a player lowers his head or tucks his chin to his chest, causing the vertebrae (bone segments of the spinal column that surround the spinal cord) to align in a straight line, and then collides head first into either another player, boards, or goal posts. This force (called axial compression) is transmitted to the aligned vertabrae, and, with minimal force, can result in the fracture, or breaking, of one of the cervical vertabrae. when the vertabrae fractures, it can cause compression on the spinal cord, and it is this compression that results in paralysis.
It is rare that this injury occurs when the neck is in a normal or neutral position HEADS UP
At present, there is no protective equipment that a player can use to prevent a cervical spine injury. Helmets can protect a player from concussions but do not protect against cervical spine injury.
The best form of protection is to be aware of the danger involved and keep your HEAD UP!
For more information, call:
Alan B. Ashare, M.D., St. Elizabeth's Medical Center 736
Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA 02135
For copies of this brochure, please contact:
The Massachusetts Medical Society at
(781) 893-4610, ext. 1015
Massachusetts Medical Society
Massachusetts Hockey
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA)
New England Ice Skating Managers Association
Illustrations by Scott Williams. This brochure may be duplicated for distribution w/out profit