VIDEO: Presenter says action plan is needed to prevent spine injuries in athletes

NEW ORLEANS — At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, Andrew C. Hecht, MD, spoke about on-field management of spine injuries in athletes, as well as common problems athletes face when they play.

“[There] is a very high likelihood of being able to return to play with either nonoperative treatment as well as, on occasion, operative treatment to a high level of function,” he said. Hecht highlighted the importance of developing an action plan for spine injuries in athletes and said that “with all the knowledge and emphasis on concussions, that a well-thought-out emergency action plan needs to be developed prior to game day and rehearsed.”