Apr 22, 2021
Why You Should Attend NATA’s Spine Injury Conference

Taking place April 26-May 25, with live events May 10-12, the NATA Spine Injury in Sports Conference will provide attendees with an in-depth look at advances in research that have paved the way for improvements in prevention and best practices in the management of acute spinal injury.

Developed from the recently published consensus recommendations by the NATA Spine Injury in Sport Group (SISG), the conference will feature on-demand educational content as well as opportunities to engage with industry leaders, providing attendees with a deeper understanding of best practice recommendations, the research behind them and how they can be used during real-life emergency-care situations.

spineKeep reading to learn more about the three reasons you should attend the NATA Spine Injury in Sports Conference, compiled by Beth Sitzler.

1. Gain a better understanding of the scientific evidence behind the updated best practice recommendations for spine-injured athletes.

After years of collaboration and research, SISG published “Consensus Recommendations on the Prehospital Care of the Injured Athlete with a Suspected Catastrophic Cervical Spine Injury” and “Best Practices and Current Care Concepts in Prehospital Care of the Spine-Injured Athlete in American Tackle Football” in 2020, providing health care providers with updated care recommendations for suspected spine-injured athletes.

The NATA Spine Injury in Sports Conference’s on-demand educational programming, which will be available April 26-May 25 and consists of 9 Category A CEU hours, shines a light on the research and evidence behind these recommendations and how they should be incorporated into daily practice. Topics discussed during the conference will include establishing medical time-outs, performing emergency evaluations, and a look into the surgical management of a cervical spine injury, among others. Demonstrations of spine boarding using the new recommendations as well as during special situations will be featured.

This is a great opportunity to learn from industry leaders, including SISG Chairs Ron Courson, ATC, PT, NRAEMT, (University of Georgia Athletics), Jim Ellis, MD, ( University of South Carolina School of Medicine at Greenville, NFL), and Stan Herring, MD (co-founder of the Sports Institute at UW Medicine, Seattle Seahawks); and NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills, MD.

2. Connect with industry leaders to review how you can apply the recommendations to your specific setting.

Every setting has its nuances and special needs, which is why NATA wanted to make sure conference attendees had the opportunity to connect with industry leaders who can provide insights into their setting-specific questions. Designed to be one-hour Q&A sessions, the Specialist Chats will feature members of SISG and industry leaders breaking down the best practice recommendations in order for all ATs to implement in their setting – whether they’re at a rural high school or a Division I, Power 5 Conference university.

3. Engage with other ATs in your setting or who are interested in a similar topic to learn more and share resources.

Do you have a success story that you think your fellow athletic trainers can learn from? Are you looking for ideas and suggestions from those who have been or are in your shoes? Throughout the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with one another during Peer Chats, topic- and setting-based discussions. The Peer Chats are a great opportunity to share templates and resources, engage in conversations about procedures, and discuss organizational strategies with ATs from around the world.

» ALSO SEE: Physical Activity Offers ‘Strong Protection’ from Worst COVID Outcomes

Learn more about what will take place during the NATA Spine Injury in Sports Conference by viewing the online program. Early bird pricing, which is $275 for members and $575 for nonmembers, is available through April 25. After that date, registration is $350 for members and $650 for nonmembers through May 25. Register today!




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