What Causes Whiplash?

Whiplash injury is most commonly associated with car accidents where a motor vehicle is struck from behind, causing the occupant’s body to thrust forward and the head to snap back and then forward until the chin strikes the chest. This violent motion, which can happen several times in quick succession, inspired the descriptive term “whiplash.” This motion can hyperextend the neck beyond its normal range of motion, damaging muscle, ligaments, and connective tissue — and sometimes other structures as well.

Whiplash is caused by the sudden jerking backward and forward acceleration of the neck and head. The motion can hyperextend the neck beyond its normal range of motion damaging muscles, ligaments and connective tissue. About 1 million people suffer whiplash injuries in the United States each year. Even a minor fender-bender can result in long-lasting whiplash. Whiplash is often overlooked as a trivial injury but a study on Whiplash Recovery Time showed that 71% of whiplash victims had some symptoms over 7 years after sustaining their injury and that it took two years for whiplash to stabilize.

whiplash causes neck pain

Whiplash in Sports

Whiplash syndrome, is a common traumatic injury in sports activities. The mechanisms of injury that cause cervical whiplash injuries in sports vary, but they may be sufficient enough to cause chronic whiplash syndrome. Whiplash spine injuries have been reported in most contact sports, including  football, soccer, basketball, and wrestling.  They are possible in other non-contact sports as well.  Injury often happens due to high-velocity collisions between players, causing a backward and forward movement of the head on the neck.

Neck strain (whiplash) may also affect people who play contact sports or who are involved in any impact or blow that causes the neck to jerk forward or backward.=

The Bonati Spine Institute encourages patients with whiplash injuries to contact us to request a no-obligation MRI review or discuss your conditions with our medical professionals. Find out why The Bonati Spine Procedures are considered to be among the world’s best solutions when it comes to advanced spine surgery. Your whiplash pain can become a thing of the past.