Whiplash is a non-medical term that links to a large range of injuries to the neck. Injuries can occur from a rapid, sudden movement of the neck. Often the end ranges of motion result in injury to soft tissues and sometimes bony tissues in the neck. Cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) describes the mechanism of injury. Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) describe the signs and symptoms of any anatomical injury.
Besides injuries in the neck, shoulders, and back, WAD can include trauma to the brain. This happens when the brain impacts the front and back of the inside of the skull during the hyperextension and hyperflexion phases of a CAD injury. The result is a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which we call a concussion. Symptoms associated with TBI include forgetfulness and short-term memory loss.
WAD Explanation
One explanation for the resulting signs and symptoms associated with WAD injuries is that it takes longer to voluntarily contract a muscle (about 1,000 milliseconds) vs. the time from start-finish of the whiplash process (about 300-500 ms). At about 100 ms after impact, the vehicle will accelerate forward. The seatback pushes into the spine or torso and propels it away from the direction of the collision while the head stays stationary.
At 150-300 ms, the torso can increase due to the reclined angle of the seatback. Depending on the headrest position, the head can hyperextend over the headrest. The amount of rebound partially affects the “springiness” of the seatback. The amount of vehicular damage (or lack thereof), since crushing metal absorbs energy. Thus, injury can occur even when the vehicle receives little to no car due to the energy of the impact transferring to the contents of the vehicle—including its occupants.
The whiplash process is over well before one can contract muscles in preparation for a crash. It’s virtually impossible to avoid injury.
Conclusion
Research shows that WAD patients have better outcomes if they seek prompt treatment focused on restoring motion to the affected areas. Chiropractic care not only helps WAD patients get out of pain and return to their normal activities, but it also achieves high scores regarding patient satisfaction.
Learn more about our North Dallas car accident and injury services. We can be reached by text or telephone at 972-490-9888 or you can schedule a whiplash consultation online.
