Faculty Collaboration Database

Anterior longitudinal ligament injuries in whiplash may lead to cervical instability. Med Eng Phys 2006 Jul;28(6):515-24

Date

11/18/2005

Pubmed ID

16289824

DOI

10.1016/j.medengphy.2005.09.011

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-33646365332 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   21 Citations

Abstract

Although whiplash injuries account for a significant annual cost to society, the exact mechanism of injury and affected tissues remain unknown. Previous investigations documented injuries to the cervical anterior longitudinal ligament in whiplash. The present investigation implemented a comprehensively validated computational model to quantify level-dependent distraction magnitudes of this structure in whiplash. Maximum ligament distractions approached failure levels, particularly in middle to lower cervical levels, and occurred during the initial phase of head-neck kinematics. In particular, the C5-C6 anterior longitudinal ligament sustained distraction magnitudes as high as 2.6mm during the retraction phase, corresponding to 56% of distraction necessary to result in ligament failure. Present results demonstrated that anterior structures in the lower cervical spine may be susceptible to injury through excess distraction during the retraction phase of whiplash, which likely occurs prior to head restraint contact. Susceptibility of these structures is likely due to non-physiologic loading placed on the cervical spinal column as the head translates posteriorly relative to the thorax. Injury to anterior spinal structures can result in clinical indications including cervical instability in extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending modes. Mitigation of whiplash injury may be achieved by minimizing head retraction during initial stages of whiplash.

Author List

Stemper BD, Yoganandan N, Pintar FA, Rao RD

Authors

Frank A. Pintar PhD Chair, Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Brian 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

Biomechanical Phenomena
Biomedical Engineering
Cervical Vertebrae
Computer Simulation
Humans
Longitudinal Ligaments
Models, Anatomic
Neck Pain
Sensitivity and Specificity
Software
Whiplash Injuries