When moving a patient with a suspected spinal injury, which technique minimizes movement of the spine?

When moving a patient with a suspected spinal injury, which technique minimizes movement of the spine?

• A. The Blanket Drag
• B. The Shoulder Drag
• C. The Sit-Up Transfer
• D. The Hip Lift

Answer: (A)

When a spinal injury is suspected, the aim is to move the patient as little as possible along the spine. The blanket drag achieves this best because the patient is slid along a flat surface without lifting, twisting, or bending the spine. One rescuer stabilizes the head to limit neck movement, while others pull the blanket to transfer the patient, keeping the spine in a neutral, aligned position. The other methods tend to involve lifting or rotating parts of the body, which can cause movement at the spine. A shoulder drag pulls the torso with the arms and can twist the spine; a sit-up transfer requires lifting the upper body into a sitting position, increasing spinal flexion; and a hip lift focuses on raising the hips, which can disrupt overall spinal alignment unless careful stabilization and backboard use accompany the move.

When a spinal injury is suspected, the aim is to move the patient as little as possible along the spine. The blanket drag achieves this best because the patient is slid along a flat surface without lifting, twisting, or bending the spine. One rescuer stabilizes the head to limit neck movement, while others pull the blanket to transfer the patient, keeping the spine in a neutral, aligned position.

The other methods tend to involve lifting or rotating parts of the body, which can cause movement at the spine. A shoulder drag pulls the torso with the arms and can twist the spine; a sit-up transfer requires lifting the upper body into a sitting position, increasing spinal flexion; and a hip lift focuses on raising the hips, which can disrupt overall spinal alignment unless careful stabilization and backboard use accompany the move.