![]() This study provides some very important findings relevant for those who represent whiplash injury patients: “Severe MRI changes in the transverse ligament and the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane were considerably more common in front-end than in rear-end collisions.”.Similar results appeared for the tectorial membrane, although with rather few high-grade changes.” “High-grade lesions to the transverse ligament were also more common among patients with the head turned at the instant of the collision.“The association between head position and high-grade lesions (grade 2-3) of the alar ligaments was more pronounced in rear-end…than in front collisions.”.A total of 61.7% of the patients with rotated neck position had alar ligament grade 3 lesions, as opposed to only 4.4% in the patient group with neutral neck position.” “The patients who had the head rotated at the instant of collision had more often high-grade MRI changes of the alar ligaments than those with the head in a neutral position.The alar ligament was the most commonly injured structure, as 66% of the whiplash patients showed significant damage to the ligament.“For all the neck structures considered, the chronic whiplash patients had significantly more MRI high-grade changes than the controls…”.The authors found significant differences between the whiplash patients and control subjects: Rear-end collision, this ligament can be stretched or torn, resulting in chronic pain and loss of neck function. The transverse ligament limits the motion of the 1st Cervical Vertebrae (Atlas) and the 2nd Cervical Vertebrae (Axis). ![]() The MRI was performed an average of six years after the collision. All of the whiplash patients had normal x-ray results one week after the collision. To investigate this issue, the authors of this recent study2 performed MRIs on 92 whiplash patients and 30 healthy control subjects. This is due to the fact that combined extension of the neck with rotation places severe strains on the ligaments of the spine. Previous researchers have found that head position can be an important risk factor in whiplash patients who have their heads turned at the moment of the crash are much more likely to be injured. A new study2 from Norway adds some exciting new insight to the nature of ligament injuries from auto collisions, and provides some new information on the role of head position at the time of the collision. Ligament injuries are problematic for two reasons: first, such injuries can be impossible to detect using plain x-rays or CT scans and, second, torn ligaments can cause permanent disability if untreated.Ī 2004 study1 found that the transverse ligament could be injured from rear-end collisions. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 72(4):975-81.Much of the research on whiplash injuries over the last few years has focused on the ligaments of the spine as the source of chronic pain and loss of function. Epidemiology and predictors of cervical spine injury in adult major trauma patients: a multicenter cohort study. Hasler RM, Exadaktylos AK, Bouamra O, et al. Epidural steroid injections for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy in elite wrestlers: case series and literature review. Spine 37(25):E1560-6.Ĭlark R, Doyle M, Sybrowsky C, Rosenquist R. Soft-tissue damage and segmental instability in adult patients with cervical spinal cord injury without major bone injury. Chronic neck pain: making the connection between capsular ligament laxity and cervical instability. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing 2019 Jan-. Available from: Evaluating Kyphosis and Lordosis in Students by Using a Flexible Ruler and Their Relationship with Severity and Frequency of Thoracic and Lumbar Pain. Mirbagheri SS, Rahmani-Rasa A, Farmani F, Amini P, Nikoo MR. The association between cervical spine curvature and neck pain. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Cervical Vertebrae.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |