UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Rigid or soft-it may not matter

Category: Trauma

Keywords: Cervical immobilization, collar rigid, soft (PubMed Search)

Posted: 4/2/2026 by Robert Flint, MD (Updated: 4/6/2026)
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Looking at trauma patients evaluated at a major trauma center before and after EMS switched from semi-rigid to soft cervical collars for immobilization found no difference in adverse outcomes.  Add this to the mounting evidence that our current practice of spinal immobilization may not offer any benefit.

References

JACEP Open 2024;5:e13239. https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.13239