Gender dependent cervical spine segmental kinematics during whiplash. J Biomech 2003 Sep;36(9):1281-9
Date
08/02/2003Pubmed ID
12893036DOI
10.1016/s0021-9290(03)00159-3Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0042123919 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 106 CitationsAbstract
Clinical and epidemiological studies have frequently reported that female occupants sustain whiplash injuries more often than males. The current study was based on the hypothesis that segmental level-by-level cervical intervertebral motions in females are greater than in males during rear impact. The hypothesis was tested by subjecting 10 intact human cadaver head-neck complexes (five males, five females) to rear impact loading. Intervertebral kinematics were analyzed as a function of spinal level at the time of maximum cervical S-curve, which occurred during the loading phase. Segmental angles were significantly greater (p<0.05) in female specimens at C2-C3, C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7 levels. Because greater angulations are associated with stretch in the innervated components of the cervical spinal column, these findings may offer a biomechanical explanation for the higher incidence of whiplash-related complaints in female patients secondary to rear impact acceleration.
Author List
Stemper BD, Yoganandan N, Pintar FAAuthors
Frank A. Pintar PhD Chair, Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of WisconsinBrian Stemper PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Narayan Yoganandan PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomechanical Phenomena
Cadaver
Cervical Vertebrae
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Motion
Sex Characteristics
Whiplash Injuries
