What Is a Spider Strap?
The VM-SSDWSP01 Spider Strap is a patient immobilisation system used to secure patients to spinal boards, scoop stretchers, and ambulance stretchers during emergency extrication and transport. The design features multiple straps radiating from a central junction ? resembling a spider ? with each strap colour-coded to correspond to a specific body region (head, chest, waist, hips, knees, and ankles). The colour coding allows EMS responders to apply the correct strap to the correct body zone rapidly under time pressure, ensuring consistent, systematic patient restraint.
Clinical Application in Trauma
In trauma emergencies, particularly suspected spinal injuries, maintaining spinal immobilisation during patient extrication and transport is critical to preventing secondary spinal cord injury. The spider strap provides a standardised, rapid method of securing the patient to the spinal board after log-roll or scoop transfer. The multi-point restraint distributes the securing force across multiple body regions simultaneously, preventing any single area from being over-compressed while maintaining full-body immobilisation.
Construction and Deployment
The DW-SP01 spider strap is constructed from durable, high-visibility webbing with quick-release buckles on each strap for rapid patient release at the receiving facility. The central hub is positioned at the patient’s centre of gravity for balanced tension across all straps. Compatible with standard spinal boards (e.g. DDJ-6B), scoop stretchers, and ambulance trolley stretchers. Colour-coding matches international EMS standards for body zone identification.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Specification | Value |
| Type | Multi-point spider patient restraint system |
| Colour Coding | Yes (position-coded straps) |
| Buckle Type | Quick-release |
| Compatible With | Spinal boards, scoop stretchers, ambulance stretchers |
| Material | Durable high-visibility webbing |
| Application | Trauma immobilisation, spinal protection, EMS transport |
| Setting | Pre-hospital, ambulance, emergency extrication |