RE: Managing Football Spinal Injury

[Guest guest]

From: Mcsiff@... [mailto:Mcsiff@...]

> Last weekend, Denver Broncos star kicker, Elam, was very heavily

> tackled in the game against the Atlanta Falcons and he lay in

> agony on the turf crying about back pain and his inability to feel or move his

> one leg. Yet, the athletic trainers simply pulled him onto his feet,

> placed his arms around their shoulders and supported him off the field in a

> spinally unstable vertical position, as many of the public witnessed on

> national TV.

>

> Is it not one of the most basic rules learned in First Aid that,

> if someone is suspected of spinal trauma, all spinal movement should be

> prevented and the victim should very carefully be moved onto a stretcher in a

> rigid, restrained spinal position with the aid of several assistants?

>

> In this case, the athlete very clearly identified the source of

> his pain and reported impaired neural functioning down his lower extremities,

> so can anyone explain why he was removed from the field in this fashion?

> For all that his trainers knew, he may well have sustained serious damage to

> the spine which could have been massively exacerbated by any movement of the

> traumatised region. Surely the most conservative and cautious approach

> possible is usually applied, is it not? Would anyone venture to

> comment on this situation? Did I miss something?

I only saw his injury in the highlights (because they weren't showing that

game in my area.) I have to admit that I was a little surprised to see them

walking him off the field considering the type of injury he seemed to have.

I thought there was some sort of rule that trainers were supposed to

immobilize the neck and spine if there was even a hint of spinal injury.

There were several cases during the 70's where football players were

paralyzed because of improper treatment in situations exactly like this.

Here in Dallas, I haven't heard anyone comment on the inappropriate actions

taken by those trainers. Is there any discussion of it in Denver?

------------

Mel Siff:

*** Individuals have been talking about this, but I have not seen anything in

the media or medical circles yet. So far, nobody has offered any justification

for this unusual handling of a spinal injury, especially in the litigation-happy

society of the USA. Whatever the outcome, the whole city of Denver is hoping

and praying that , as one of its favourite sporting sons, will recover

fully in the near future.

Dr Mel C Siff

Denver, USA

[Guest guest]

>Last weekend, Denver Broncos star kicker, Elam, was very heavily

>tackled in the game against the Atlanta Falcons.......

>Is it not one of the most basic rules learned in First Aid that, if someone

>is suspected of spinal trauma, all spinal movement should be prevented and

>the victim should very carefully be moved onto a stretcher in a rigid,

>restrained spinal position with the aid of several assistants?.....so can

>anyone explain why he was removed from the field in this fashion?

I know the Atlanta trainers, ortho staff, etc. I do not anticipate they

will be awarded Certificates of Intelligence, either now or posthumously.

>Would anyone venture to comment on this situation? Did I miss >something?

Yes. You made the mistake of assuming training capabilitites that do not

exist.

Joe Alden

---------

Mel Siff:

*** TV showed very clearly that one of the helpers was the Broncos head athletic

trainer, so that we cannot focus on the Atlanta team in this case.

[Guest guest]

> >However, I don't think that it's fair to demean an entire profession or

> >their capabilities. It sounds like you have had a very negative

> >experience with the Atlanta staff and I feel badly for that, but those

> >two circumstances are not representative of the whole. There are a lot

> >of athletic trainers out there who do a great job day-in and day-out.

> >Unfortunately, as with most things in our society, we only hear the bad

> >news.

Wasn't picking on the entire profession, just the Falcons

Mel Siff:

>*** TV showed very clearly that one of the helpers was the Broncos head

> >athletic trainer, so that we cannot focus on the Atlanta team in this

> >case..

True.

I took liberties and sorta switched " trainers in mid-discussion " to get my

shot in. I feel better now.

Joe Alden

[Guest guest]

Mel Siff:

>Last weekend, Denver Broncos star kicker, Elam, was very heavily

>tackled in the game against the Atlanta Falcons........

>Is it not one of the most basic rules learned in First Aid that, if someone

>is suspected of spinal trauma, all spinal movement should be prevented and

>the victim should very carefully be moved onto a stretcher in a rigid,

>restrained spinal position with the aid of several assistants?.....so can

>anyone explain why he was removed from the field in this fashion?

Joe Alden<joealden@...> wrote:

I know the Atlanta trainers, ortho staff, etc. I do not anticipate they

will be awarded Certificates of Intelligence, either now or posthumously..

Mel Siff:

<Would anyone venture to comment on this situation? Did I miss something?>

Joe Alden:

<Yes. You made the mistake of assuming training capabilitites that do not

exist..>

------------

[Helfst, Bob]

Joe,

I'm afraid that I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. The

capabilities do exist. Protocols do exist. The knowledge base does exist and

is often executed with precision and skill. Recall the Lions linebacker who

went into respiratory arrest following a C spine injury and was successfully

managed. I can't and won't defend the actions taken last weekend. I wasn't on

the field. However, I don't think that it's fair to demean an entire profession

or their capabilities. It sounds like you have had a very negative experience

with the Atlanta staff and I feel badly for that, but those two circumstances

are not representative of the whole. There are a lot of athletic trainers out

there who do a great job day-in and day-out. Unfortunately, as with most things

in our society, we only hear the bad news.

Bob Helfst

Muncie, IN

---------

Mel Siff:

*** TV showed very clearly that one of the helpers was the Broncos head athletic

trainer, so that we cannot focus on the Atlanta team in this case..

[Guest guest]

Bob wrote,

>I'm afraid that I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. The

>capabilities do exist. Protocols do exist. The knowledge base does exist

>and is often executed with precision and skill. Recall the Lions

>linebacker who went into respiratory arrest following a C spine injury and

>was successfully managed. I can't and won't defend the actions taken last

>weekend. I wasn't on the field. However, I don't think that it's fair to

>demean an entire profession or their capabilities. It sounds like you

>have had a very negative experience with the Atlanta staff and I feel

>badly for that, but those two circumstances are not representative of the

>whole. There are a lot of athletic trainers out there who do a great job

>day-in and day-out. Unfortunately, as with most things in our society, we

>only hear the bad news.

Perhaps the most profound injury I have ever watched on TV was the Dennis

Byrd spinal injury. Those of you who have watched football for some years

may recall that Byrd was outside-speed rushing the KC Chief quarterback, I

believe it was Krieg in a short stint for them, when the QB stepped up back

into the pocket. Dennis altered his path and put his head down

instinctively when he saw he was going to collide with his own teammate who

was rushing from the other side. (Washington? Can't remember the name of

the teammate, but that sounds right. Anyhow.)

Both NY Jets went down. Attention initially went to Byrd's teammate who was

doing the funky chicken - actually convulsing - from taking Byrd's helmet

in the stomach. However, the entire stadium went silent shortly when

attention was focused on Byrd, who had not moved from the moment of the

violent collision except to have his arm flop down from his facemask.

What followed appeared to me to be trainers working as it was intended to

be. They stabilized Byrd immediately. The head trainer had rushed onto the

field and grabbed Byrds helmet and held it still and 10 minutes later was

still making sure the head did not move. In the book 'Rise and Walk' Dennis

Byrd credits the trainers and staff at the scene for their quick and

appropriate responses which enables him (with the help of some great

doctors and, of course, Dennis also credits God) to make a miraculous

recovery.

I watched the replay of this hit and the reaction of the trainers at least

10 times that day. I can still visually see the entire thing. At the time I

was involved in competitive rugby and was very worried about the rash of

neck injuries occuring to people in my position. The entire incident had an

enormous impact on my spiritually. But my point is this:

Those trainers were amazing. They responded quickly and appropriately and,

IMO, made a miraculous recovery possible. I have to agree with Bob. Not all

staffs maybe great, but there are some or at least have been some who are

excellent professionals.

[Guest guest]

Mcsiff@... wrote:

> Last weekend, Denver Broncos star kicker, Elam, was very heavily

> tackled in the game against the Atlanta Falcons and he lay in agony on the

> turf crying about back pain and his inability to feel or move his one leg.

> Yet, the athletic trainers simply pulled him onto his feet, placed his arms

> around their shoulders and supported him off the field in a spinally unstable

> vertical position, as many of the public witnessed on national TV.

>

I was waiting for someone to comment on this. Last night I sent an email to KUSA

" 9 Wants to Know " with the same questions. This was the worst case of

mismanagement of an injured athlete. Not only was he dragged off the field with

no attempt at immobilization, but he was the examined in a most inappropriate

fashion. Next he was hoisted into a SEAT in a cart.He was then hoisted more

upright two times, because he was slouched.

If care such as this was provided at a High School game I am certain people

would

be fired the next day. I think that perhaps you with your greater status in the

world of sports should attempt to bring this up to a higher authority.

Harvey Maron M.D., C.F.T.

Mel Siff:

*** Have you received any response yet from KUSA? I posted my same comments on

an Athletic Trainers discussion group and received quite a few private letters

making all sorts of excuse, all based upon the view that nobody but the Athletic

Trainers directly on the scene were justified in making any comments about the

situation. All other observations made on TV or by nearby spectators apparently

should be regarded as irrelevant and misleading.

Dr Mel C Siff

Denver, USA

[Guest guest]

I was speechless at the treatment of Elam too.

And yet the Broncos Athletic Trainer - is one of the NFL's best?

Why on earth did they treat the kicker in such a fashion? He was not

feigning, although another viewer here at the house had the nerve to suggest

that! Appalling!

the Phantom (SHOCKED DENVER FAN as well as athlete)

-------------

Mcsiff@... wrote:

>> Last weekend, Denver Broncos star kicker, Elam, was very heavily

>> tackled in the game against the Atlanta Falcons and he lay in agony on

>> the turf crying about back pain and his inability to feel or move his one

>> leg. Yet, the athletic trainers simply pulled him onto his feet, placed his

>> arms around their shoulders and supported him off the field in a spinally

>> unstable vertical position, as many of the public witnessed on national TV.

Harvey Maron <bigbud@...> wrote:

< I was waiting for someone to comment on this. Last night I sent an email to

KUSA " 9 Wants to Know " with the same questions. This was the worst case of

mismanagement of an injured athlete. Not only was he dragged off the field

with no attempt at immobilization, but he was the examined in a most

inappropriate fashion. Next he was hoisted into a SEAT in a cart.He was then

hoisted more upright two times, because he was slouched.

If care such as this was provided at a High School game I am certain people

would be fired the next day. I think that perhaps you with your greater status

in

the world of sports should attempt to bring this up to a higher authority.>

Mel Siff:

<*** Have you received any response yet from KUSA? I posted my same

comments on an Athletic Trainers discussion group and received quite a few

private letters making all sorts of excuse, all based upon the view that

nobody but the Athletic Trainers directly on the scene were justified in

making any comments about the situation. All other observations made on TV

or by nearby spectators apparently should be regarded as irrelevant and

misleading.>

[Guest guest]

Mel asked us re: Elam's injury and the method used to get him off the

field-

" Would anyone venture to comment on

this situation? Did I miss something? "

I would venture to comment that you did not miss anything.

Rose Gelrod

NYC

[Guest guest]

Mel Siff wrote:

<*** Have you received any response yet from KUSA?>

No response. I guess I really did not expect one.

Harvey Maron M.D. , C.F.T.

[Guest guest]

Schaefer <thephantom198@...> wrote:

> Why on earth did they treat the kicker in such a fashion? He was

> not feigning, although another viewer here at the house had the

> nerve to suggest that! Appalling!

NFL kickers, like soccer players, have a history of drawing fouls by

taking ugly falls. Roughing the kicker is, after all, a 15-yard

penalty. And if you fake the foul and don't get the call, you still

have to follow through.

Obviously though, that's not what happened in this case. Well,

according to you guys; I didn't see it.

Matt Madsen