a Philadelphia collar is a two-piece orthotic device that is used to keep the neck steady, stable and immobile. Also known as a neck brace, the collar is used to prevent any and all forms of movement at the cervical vertebrae joints in the neck allowing uninterrupted healing of the bones or soft tissue in the neck.
There are many different sizes of Philadelphia collars for use by people with different neck injuries, different neck sizes and of different ages. The specialist applying the neck brace usually takes the required measurements and finds you the perfect fit for comfort and maximum stability for proper healing.
While trying to find the right cervical collar, there are two very important measurements. The first is from the chin to the top of the sternum. The second measurement is the circumference of the neck. After these measurements are taken the right brace is found using a sizing chart. In the event that the measurement of the distance between the chin and the sternum falls between two size groups the general rule is that the measurement should be rounded down to the smaller value.
How to wear the Philadelphia neck collar
One of the most important things to understand is that for an injury to require the use of a neck brace then stability is of the utmost importance. This means that one faulty move could lead to further damage. It is for this reason that the Philadelphia collar is only applied and removed by licensed professionals.
Accessory parts you can get with the neck brace
There are many different designs of Philadelphia collars. These exist to suite the wearers’ different needs. Below are a few accessory parts you might come across.
DOs and DON’Ts while wearing a Philadelphia neck brace