Spinal injury criterion for transport?

• A. Associated with acute sensory or motor deficit
• B. No deficits and stable exam
• C. Only neck pain without neurological signs
• D. Pain solely from muscle strain

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that spinal immobilization is prompted by signs of spinal cord or nerve injury, not just by pain. Acute sensory or motor deficit indicates a possible spinal injury, so you immobilize and transport with spinal precautions to prevent further damage.

If there are no deficits and the exam is stable, there’s no active spinal injury criterion requiring immobilization for transport. Neck pain without neurological signs, or pain from muscle strain alone, does not by itself establish a spinal injury in this context, so they’re not the spine-immobilization criterion.