Cervical spine injuries resulting from water sports.

A retrospective review of 152 cases of cervical spine injury suffered in water sport-related accidents is presented. Water sport accidents were the second most common cause of traumatic quadriplegia among patients treated on the Spinal Injury Service at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. The mechanics of injury in 80% of the cases involved flexion and/or axial loading forces. A fracture of the body of C5 was seen in two thirds of the cases. The ratio of complete to incomplete cord lesions was approximately 1:1, with anterior cord syndrome being the most commonly observed. Various risk factors are identified.