CONTEXT: Proper management of cervical spine injuries in men's lacrosse players depends in part upon the ability of the helmet to immobilize the head. OBJECTIVE: To determine if properly and improperly fitted lacrosse helmets provide adequate stabilization of the head in the spine-boarded athlete. DESIGN: Crossover study. SETTING: Sports medicine research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen healthy collegiate men's lacrosse players. INTERVENTION(S): Participants were asked to move their heads through 3 planes of motion after being secured to a spine board under 3 helmet conditions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Change in range of motion in the cervical spine was calculated for the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes for both head-to-thorax and helmet-to-thorax range of motion in all 3 helmet conditions (properly fitted, improperly fitted, and no helmet). RESULTS: Head-to-thorax range of motion with the properly fitted and improperly fitted helmets was greater than in the no-helmet condition (P < .0001). In the sagittal plane, range of motion was greater with the improperly fitted helmet than with the properly fitted helmet. No difference was observed in helmet-to-thorax range of motion between properly and improperly fitted helmet conditions. Head-to-thorax range of motion was greater than helmet-to-thorax range of motion in all 3 planes (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spine motion was minimized the most in the no-helmet condition, indicating that in lacrosse players, unlike football players, the helmet may need to be removed before stabilization.
CONTEXT: Proper management of cervical spine injuries in men's lacrosse players depends in part upon the ability of the helmet to immobilize the head. OBJECTIVE: To determine if properly and improperly fitted lacrosse helmets provide adequate stabilization of the head in the spine-boarded athlete. DESIGN: Crossover study. SETTING: Sports medicine research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen healthy collegiate men's lacrosse players. INTERVENTION(S): Participants were asked to move their heads through 3 planes of motion after being secured to a spine board under 3 helmet conditions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Change in range of motion in the cervical spine was calculated for the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes for both head-to-thorax and helmet-to-thorax range of motion in all 3 helmet conditions (properly fitted, improperly fitted, and no helmet). RESULTS: Head-to-thorax range of motion with the properly fitted and improperly fitted helmets was greater than in the no-helmet condition (P < .0001). In the sagittal plane, range of motion was greater with the improperly fitted helmet than with the properly fitted helmet. No difference was observed in helmet-to-thorax range of motion between properly and improperly fitted helmet conditions. Head-to-thorax range of motion was greater than helmet-to-thorax range of motion in all 3 planes (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spine motion was minimized the most in the no-helmet condition, indicating that in lacrosse players, unlike football players, the helmet may need to be removed before stabilization.
Authors: Marshal D Peris; William F Donaldson WF; Jeffrey Towers; Rob Blanc; Thomas S Muzzonigro Journal: Spine (Phila Pa 1976) Date: 2002-05-01 Impact factor: 3.468
Authors: Brianna M Mills; Kelsey M Conrick; Scott Anderson; Julian Bailes; Barry P Boden; Darryl Conway; James Ellis; Francis Feld; Murphy Grant; Brian Hainline; Glenn Henry; Stanley A Herring; Wellington K Hsu; Alex Isakov; Tory R Lindley; Lance McNamara; Jason P Mihalik; Timothy L Neal; Margot Putukian; Frederick P Rivara; Allen K Sills; Erik E Swartz; Monica S Vavilala; Ron Courson Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2020-06-23 Impact factor: 2.860