Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine

Introduction: Spinal cord injuries are a common reason for presentation to the emergency department (ED). Sports-related spinal injuries are one of the least common spinal injuries, falling behind vehicular accidents, acts of violence, and falls.

Case Report: This case report describes a case of transient quadriplegia in a 17-year-old male who presented to the ED after a helmet-to-helmet collision while participating in football.

Conclusion: Emergency physicians should be cognizant of potential spinal cord injury using clinical decision tools and radiologic imaging to properly disposition a patient presenting with cervical spine injury.