Whiplash Syndrome

The neck is one of those areas of the body that serves many functions. It connects the skull to the trunk, acts as a joint, and serves as a conduit for structures such as arteries, bones, muscles, ligaments, and others more specialized like the larynx, trachea, and esophagus. Its multiple purposes make it a highly delicate area, even though we may not perceive it as such.

A key to understanding its importance is the mobility it offers because no one, with any type of neck pain, is able to move naturally, much less turn in any direction.

The most common neck injury is the colloquially called “whiplash,” which is simply a cervical sprain caused by a tear in one of the ligaments that connect the cervical vertebrae, and in turn reflects pain in the neck area. The sudden flexion and extension of the neck through a sudden movement is usually the main cause.

The most typical cause of cervical whiplash is car accidents where a rear-end impact occurs, almost always unexpectedly, so the muscles are relaxed and do not limit the range of movement. This combination triggers the injury by overloading the facet joint of the spine during the extension phase, when the muscles are less powerful. Falls of any kind involving violent and involuntary neck movement can also cause a cervical sprain, although this is rare.

Recently, the involvement of neurological alterations of the central nervous system has also been indicated, especially when the pain is persistent.

The treatment after suffering a cervical whiplash is simple and not unknown: cervical immobilization. This involves applying a series of measures and devices to stabilize the spine after trauma and prevent further injury to the spinal cord. This is where the cervical orthosis or Thomas Collar comes in, which is perfect for limiting unnecessary movements during recovery. The cervical collar, cervical orthosis, or Thomas Collar was introduced in the 70s by Kossuth, who is internationally recognized as the pioneer in methods of protection and immobilization of the cervical spine during the extraction of a person trapped in a motor vehicle. ​ If you move it, you lose it.