A man was rearended as he waited at a traffic light in his c

A man was rear-ended as he waited at a traffic light in his classic 1957 Thunderbird. His shoulder belt was fastened and he was not thrown from the car, nor did he strike the steering wheel. Although he did not seem to be seriously injured at the time, the next morning his wife took him to the doctor because he had a stiff, painful neck, especially on the left side, and pain in his left arm. The doctor noted that he held his head rigidly and slightly flexed, with his head tilted to the right and his chin pointing to the left. On palpation there was tenderness over his inferior cervical spinous processes. His left biceps reflex was reduced and the anterior muscles of his left upper arm felt weak. The doctor ordered a radiograph of his neck, but no bony injuries were revealed. What is the common name for the patient\'s neck injury? The common name for this patient\'s neck injury is whiplash, which most often occurs during rear-end auto accidents. Whiplash includes neck pain and stiffness, which coincides with the patient\'s complaints. What is the anatomical basis for the patient\'s stiff neck and the pain and weakness in his neck and arm? What spinal ligament was torn? What spinal nerve root was probably compressed, and what was putting pressure on it? Why might the man have been spared this injury had he been driving a newer car?

Solution

2. The sudden force causes the muscles and tendons in the neck to stretch and eventually it gets torn.  Multiple sites in the neck can be affected in a whiplash which includes the facet joints, spinal ligaments, intervertebral discs, vertebral arteries, dorsal root ganglia, and neck muscles.

3. Anteroir longitudinal ligament is usually injured in a whiplash (Occiput to T1).

4. Maximum ligament distractions occur in middle to lower cervical levels. The C5-C6 anterior longitudinal ligament sustains maximum distraction corresponding to ligament failure. Anteroir longitudinal ligament is usually injured in a whiplash.

5. Head rests play a major role in avoiding whiplash. A new car always has the seat and head rest urpright and is not inclined as per the drivers convinient. So a new car mght have prevented a whiplash.