Whiplash is a term that is used to describe the abnormal motion of the neck that
occurs as a result of a rear-end collision, similar to the effect used to get a whip
to “crack”. The term “Whiplash” has been used since the late 1920’s. It is now
commonly used as a descriptive noun to denote injuries and symptoms that result
from a car crash: neck pain and swelling, headaches, nausea, dizziness, back pain,
etc. Professionally the symptoms and injuries sustained in an automobile collision
is now known as Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD).
The mechanism of a Whiplash injury (rear-end collision) is well known and has
been studied for decades. The driver of the target vehicle (the rear-ended vehicle)
is pictured at a stop, at rest, and unaware of what will happen. As the bullet
vehicle (the striking vehicle) impacts the target vehicle, the target vehicle moves
forward. The driver of the target vehicle feels himself pushed back into his seat
while his head continues to be moved backwards while the vehicle is moving
forwards causing hyperextension (too much backward bending) of the neck. As
his vehicle slows suddenly from its forward momentum, the head rebounds
forward (whipped) until it is stopped by boney, ligament, and muscle attachments
which causes hyperflexion (too much forward bending) of the neck. All of this
forceful motion has happened in less than one second!

The dynamics of this type of injury cause the muscles, ligaments, and joints
(particularly of the neck) to be forced beyond the limits of anatomical integrity
resulting in micro tears to these tissues. These are also known as strain/sprain
injuries. These are considered to be soft-tissue injuries as opposed to hard tissue

injuries (fractures). Although fractures and dislocations do occur, they usually
occur in higher speed crashes. Here we are discussing low speed collisions that
occur under 10 mph.
The body’s reaction to these injuries is to initiate an inflammatory response. This
response can last for 72 hours up to several weeks. The body also starts a repair
process that lays fibers back into the injured areas. This process can last for
several months. The body also remodels these fibers over months to years. This
healing process works best in the presence of motion. Chiropractic manipulation
has been shown to be the best modality to use for the restoring of injured joint
motion. Therapeutic massage is utilized as well for healing the musculature to its
best potential. Rehabilitation is then used to improve overall function of the
healed tissues. Finding a clinician well versed in treating traumatic soft-tissue
injuries is crucial to healing to your best potential.

Neil C. Logan has been a Chiropractic Physician for over 35 years. He is Certified
as a Motor Vehicle Occupant Injury Specialist and is a member of the Utah
Whiplash Group.