Table 3.

Criteria for Cervical Spine Motion Restriction.From: National Association of EMS Physicians. EMS spinal precautions and the use of the long backboard – A joint position statement of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. 2018 (Fischer et al., 2018).

●Acutely altered level of consciousness (e.g., GCS <15, evidence of intoxication)

●Midline neck or back pain and/or tenderness

●Focal neurologic signs and/or symptoms (e.g., numbness or motor weakness)

●Anatomic deformity of the spine

●Distracting circumstances or injury (e.g., long bone fracture, degloving, or crush injuries, large burns, emotional distress, communication barrier, etc.) or any similar injury that impairs the patient's ability to contribute to a reliable examination