PhD Studentship: Managing cervical spine injuries in mountain rescue: Optimising emergency response methods.

Lead Supervisor name: Andrew Callaway, email: acallaway@bournemouth.ac.uk

Project description:

This PhD programme will determine the most clinically acceptable methods for emergency response teams to manage casualties with cervical spine injuries, by testing vacuum mattress and stretcher carrying methods using our unique multidisciplinary collaboration of biomechanists, physiologists and mountain rescue stakeholders.

Volunteer search and rescue organisations are of paramount importance to the delivery of a professional and effective emergency response (Cabinet Office 2012). Teams in Mountain Rescue England and Wales attend around 2,000 call-outs per year (Mountain Rescue England and Wales, 2022a) and the number of incidents that the teams have been attending is increasing (Nichols et al. 2014). The management of search and rescue organisations of casualties with cervical spine injuries has recently developed from the goal of total immobilization to the concept of selective motion control.

Vacuum mattresses are standard rescue equipment, which are product tested with a fixed mass applied between two points 90cm apart which has little basis for the applied nature of rescue. Where new mattresses have become available, it’s not clear whether these tests are sufficient, and what the most effective method to achieve cervical spine motion control is.

The proposed project will simulate various rescue scenarios as typically encountered by UK mountain rescue teams and apply innovative biomechanical analysis using Bournemouth University ’s in-vivo 3D motion tracking technology to determine residual motion of the cervical spine. The findings will guide mountain rescue teams in equipment choice and best practice to enhance casualty outcomes and reduce the risk of post-rescue long-term disability.

Aims:

We have three specific aims:

To review currently available and commonly utilised methods by mountain rescue organisations to achieve cervical spine motion control

To determine clinically acceptable residual motion of the cervical spine when casualties are secured in a vacuum mattress on a stretcher

To evaluate the utilisation of vacuum mattresses in a number of different scenarios and casualty types.

Outcomes: The outcomes of the project will be best practice guidelines and technical reports delivered to Mountain Rescue England and Wales and to equipment manufacturers, which will influence training of rescue organisation personnel and future product design. Guidelines and reports will be underpinned by academic publications of three-star standard to journals such as Wilderness & Environmental Medicine and Prehospital Emergency Care.

The postgraduate researcher will develop their biomechanical and research study design skills, and will develop soft skills to facilitate a future career in industry and supporting other organisations such as emergency response teams. Taken together, the outputs will form the basis of a case study for possible inclusion in future Research Excellence Framework assessments.

What does the funded studentship include?

This is a fully funded PhD studentship which includes fees and stipend.

Eligibility criteria

Entry requirements:

A Bachelor of Science degree in 2:1 or above and/or master's degree in sports science, sports technology, medicine, physiology, engineering or similar subject area.

Available to UK students or students with UK residency only

Application deadline: Wednesday 30 July 2025, with interviews commencing 1, 4 and 5 August.

For further information on how to apply, please click the ‘Apply’ button above or email pgradmissions@bournemouth.ac.uk

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