What is the ideal technique for moving an injured patient from the ground to a backboard in the field?

• A. the four-person log roll
• B. the direct patient carry
• C. the clothes drag
• D. the use of a scoop stretcher

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is maintaining spinal immobilization while moving a suspected spinal-injury patient from the ground onto a backboard. Using a four-person log roll lets rescuers move the patient as a single unit with controlled, coordinated motion, keeping the head, neck, and spine in alignment throughout the transfer. With one rescuer at the head to stabilize the neck and others coordinating the roll, the patient can be placed onto or slid onto a backboard without bending or twisting the spine, reducing the risk of further injury.

Other techniques either involve hands-on movement that can disrupt spinal alignment (a direct carry can cause bending or twisting), or drag the patient across the ground (which can cause motion and friction on the spine). A scoop stretcher is a useful tool in some situations, but in many field protocols the four-person log roll is the standard method to preserve immobilization when transferring to a backboard.