Head and Spine Injury Management Flashcards
6 cards from real NATA-BOC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Head and Spine Injury Management flashcards as text
An athlete complains of unilateral arm weakness, burning pain, and numbness radiating from the neck to the fingertips after a tackle. Which condition is most likely?
Answer: Brachial plexus neuropraxia (stinger/burner)
A stinger or burner is a brachial plexus neuropraxia typically caused by lateral neck flexion or shoulder depression during a tackle. It presents with unilateral burning pain, numbness, and weakness radiating from the neck through the arm to the fingertips.
What is the minimum duration an athlete should be symptom-free before beginning the graduated return-to-play protocol?
Answer: 24 hours
An athlete must be symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours at rest before starting Step 1 of the graduated return-to-play protocol. This is the baseline requirement from the international consensus statement.
During assessment of a suspected spinal injury, an athletic trainer performs a neurological screen. Which finding would indicate a complete spinal cord injury?
Answer: Absent motor function and sensation below the level of injury with no sacral sparing
A complete spinal cord injury is defined by the absence of both motor and sensory function below the level of injury, including the sacral segments (S4-S5). The absence of sacral sparing is the key distinguishing factor.
Which neuropsychological test is most commonly used as a baseline and post-concussion comparison tool in athletics?
Answer: ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing)
ImPACT is the most widely used computerized neuropsychological testing program in sports. It establishes baseline cognitive measures that can be compared to post-injury scores to help guide return-to-play decisions.
A soccer player heads the ball and immediately reports seeing 'stars' and having a brief headache that resolves within 30 seconds. The athlete feels completely normal afterward. How should the athletic trainer manage this situation?
Answer: Remove the athlete from play and conduct a formal concussion assessment
Any athlete with signs or symptoms of concussion, even if transient, should be immediately removed from play and undergo a formal concussion assessment. Brief symptoms do not rule out concussion, and the 'when in doubt, sit them out' principle applies.
An athletic trainer is performing the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) as part of a concussion evaluation. Which of the following would NOT be counted as an error?
Answer: Remaining in the test position for the full 20 seconds
Successfully maintaining the test position for the full 20 seconds without committing any errors would not be counted as an error. All other options — opening eyes, hands leaving the iliac crests, and excessive sway — are counted as errors in the BESS.