Which technique is commonly used to place a patient on a backboard or assess the posterior, requiring at least three trained personnel?

• A. Urgent Move
• B. Scoop Stretcher
• C. Rapid Extrication
• D. Log Roll Technique

Answer: (D)

Maintaining spine alignment during movement is essential when a spinal injury is suspected, and the log roll technique is the method used to assess the back and position the patient onto a backboard without twisting the spine. This maneuver typically requires at least three trained personnel: one at the head to keep the head and neck in a neutral, in-line position; a second to control and roll the torso and hips; and a third to manage the legs and coordinate the roll. All three move together in a coordinated, slow roll so the spine stays aligned as the patient transfers onto the board, where they can then be secured with straps and immobilized as needed. While other techniques exist for different scenarios—urgent moves for life threats, scoop stretchers for transfers when spine motion is less of a concern, rapid extrication for vehicle situations—these do not optimize posterior assessment and immobilization in the same way the log roll does.