First Aid - Neck Injury (Modified HAINES)

This position is termed the High Arm IN Endangered Spine or HAINES position.

Note that the this position has two significant differences when compared with the standard lateral recovery position:

• The arm closest to the ground is fully outstretched and lies under the head
• Both legs are flexed at the hip and the knee resulting in one lying on top of the other.

The modified HAINES position results in a more neutral position of the spine making it preferable to the lateral recovery position in the management of patients in whom cervical spine injury may have occurred.