====== Spear tackler’s spine ======

Rule changes in 1976 banned spearing (the practice of using the football helmet as a battering ram
to tackle an opponent) and resulted in a reduction of the number of football-related occurrences of
cervical spine fractures and quadriplegia
((Cantu RC, Mueller FO. Catastrophic Spine Injuries in
Football. J Spinal Disord. 1990; 3:227–231)).

Four characteristics of spear tackler’s spine:

1. [[cervical spinal stenosis]]

2. loss of normal cervical lordosis: as a result, the stress of axial loading is more likely to be
imparted to the vertebral bodies, rather than being absorbed by the cervical musculature and ligaments,
increasing the risk of burst fractures and quadriplegia

3. evidence of pre-existing traumatic abnormalities

4. documented spear tackler’s technique

===== Suggested management =====

The athlete is removed from competition until the cervical lordosis returns and the player learns
to use other tackling techniques. This tackling technique has been banned since 1976.