This book, written by authorities in sports medicine, helps navigate the unique clinical issues involved in treating athletes who have spinal injuries. This clinical reference culls today's best approaches for managing these injuries, optimizing function, and ensuring quick but safe return to play whenever possible. Includes real-world scenarios involving a variety of athletic cervical and lumbar spine injuries, and responses offered by panel of respected specialists.

"American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons."

General. The epidemiology of spine injuries in athletes / Barrett Boody, Brett D. Rosehnthal, Shah-Nawaz M. Dodwad, Alpesh A. Patel -- Biomechanics of the spine in sports and prevention considerations / Eeric Truumees, Erik E. Swartz -- Rehabilitation of athletes after spine injury and spine surgery / Robert G. Watkins, Michael Kordecki -- On-field evaluation and transport of the injured athlete / Tristan B. Weir, Michael J. Cendoma, Ehsan Jazini, Kelley E. Banagan, Steven C. Ludwig -- Spinal cord injury: pharmacologic agents, thermal cooling, and timing of interventions / Allan R. Martin, Michael G. Fehlings -- Diagnostic imaging of sports-related spinal disorders / Mitchel B. Harris, Micah Blais -- Spine injuries in pediatric athletes / John M. Flynn, Mark A. Seeley, Artistides I. Cruz, Jr. -- Role of the spine surgeon with professional sports teams, agents, and coaches / Robert G. Watkins. Cervical spine injuries in athletes. Differential diagnosis of upper extremity disorders (neck and arm pain) / Laith Al-Shihabi, Howard S. An -- Stingers and burners / Andrew B. Dossett -- Cervical cord neuropraxia / Frank H. Valone III, K. Daniel Riew -- Cervical disk herniation in athletes / Andrew C. Hecht, Steven McAnany, Sheeraz Qureshi -- Congenital cervical anomalies and special needs athletes / Jun Sup Kim, Evan Baird, Lindsay Andras, Nomaan Ashraf -- Degenerative disorders of the cervical spine and cervical stenosis / Kevin L. Ju, John G. Heller -- Fractures of the cervical spine and spinal cord injuries / Gregory D. Schroeder, Tristan Fried, Christie Stawicki, Peter Deluca, Alexander R. Vaccaro. Lumbar spine. Incidence of low back pain in athletes and differential diagnosis and evaluation of athletes with back or leg pain / Kenneth Nwosu, Christopher M. Bono -- Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis in immature and adult athletes / Rahul Basho, Andre M. Jakoi, Jeffrey C. Wang -- Lumbar disk herniation in immature and adult athletes / Tyler J. Jenkins, Willington Hsu -- Lumbar degenerative disk disease and spinal stenosis in athletes / Heath P. Gould, Colin M. Haines, William J. Kemp, Timothy T. Roberts, Thomas Mroz -- Piriformis syndrome, sacral stress fractures, and hip labral disorders / Diana Patterson, Brian Neri, Alexis Chiang Colvin -- Lumbar spine disorders in aging athletes / Gordon R. Bell -- Thoracic injuries and pain syndromes in athletes / Tanvir Choudhri, Haroon Fiaz Choudhri, Julian E. Bailes, Jr. Concussion. Concussion: introduction-the controversy / Vin Shen Ban, Richard G. Ellenbogen, H. Hunt Batjer -- Definitions of sports concussion, initial diagnosis, and on-field evaluation / Leah G. Concannon, Brian C. Liem, Stanley A. Herring -- Determining short-term prognosis and return to play / Margot Putukian, Siatta B. Dunbar -- Neuropsychological testing in the treatment and management of sport-related concussion / Melissa A. Lancaster, Lindsay D. Nelson, Michael A. McCrea -- Postconcussion syndrome / Javier Cardenas -- Concussion: long term sequelae-the controversy / Rajiv Saigal, Mitchel Berger.