Whiplash and Cervical Spine Injury PatientPlus

Description: Whiplash injury is a combined flexion/extension soft-tissue injury of the cervical spine, common in road traffic accidents. May also be caused by sports injuries, falls or assaults. There are two types of injury:
* Typical cervical hyperextension injuries occur in drivers/passengers of a stationary or slow-moving vehicle that is struck from behind. Body is thrown forward but the head lags, resulting in hyperextension of the neck. When the head and neck have reached maximum extension, the neck then snaps into flexion.
* A rapid deceleration injury throws the head forwards and flexes the cervical spine. The chin limits forward flexion but the forward movement may be sufficient to cause longitudinal distraction and neurological damage. Hyperextension may occur in the subsequent recoil.