Nadine Montgomery and Debbie Goode offer a literature review of spinal immobilisation practices in emergency settings

Common measures to establish spinal immobilisation at the scene of an accident include keeping the patient’s head still, applying a rigid cervical collar and transporting the patient on a rigid spinal board to an emergency department. This article reviews the literature about spinal immobilisation practices in emergency settings, including best-practice guidance and papers on immobilisation, imaging, rapport with patients and complications.