Effects of Thoracic Ramping on Whiplash Kinematics

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian D. Stemper ◽  
Narayan Yoganandan ◽  
Frank A. Pintar
Keyword(s):  
Facet Joint ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Vertical Acceleration ◽  
Capsular Ligament ◽  
Differential Motion ◽  
Human Volunteers ◽  
Spinal Ligaments ◽  
Cervical Kinematics ◽  
Head Neck

Whiplash injuries result from differential motion between the head and thorax. Experimental investigations using human volunteers and full body cadavers have described thoracic ramping due to interaction with the seatback and straightening of the thoracic spine. The effect of this motion on cervical kinematics has not been investigated. A head-neck computer model was used to determine the effects of thoracic ramping on whiplash kinematics. The model consisted of skull, cervical spine, first thoracic vertebra, intervertebral discs, spinal ligaments, facet joints, and passive musculature, and was subjected to 2.7 m/sec rear impact velocity. Vertical acceleration of T1 was prescribed according to literature. Segmental angulations and region dependent facet joint capsular ligament distractions were obtained from levels C2-C3 through C7-T1 during the time of cervical S-curvature. Maximum capsular ligament distractions during this time occurred in the dorsal region at the C2-C3 level and in the lateral region at the C3-C4 through C7-T1 levels. Increasing magnitudes of T1 ramping decreased segmental angulations and ligament distractions by less than 20% in most cases. Results of the present investigation demonstrated that thoracic ramping may play a secondary role in whiplash kinematics.

Force at Damage and Failure Decreases With Age in the Human Cadaveric Facet Capsular Ligament During Tension

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiersten M. Craig ◽  
Kyle P. Quinn ◽  
Beth A. Winkelstein
Keyword(s):  
Facet Joint ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Capsular Ligament ◽  
Damage And Failure ◽  
Microstructural Damage ◽  
Spinal Ligaments ◽  
Cervical Motion ◽  
Cervical Facet ◽  
Type Of Injury ◽  
Cervical Facet Joint

Epidemiologic reports indicate that over 5 million nonfatal accidents occur annually, with painful injuries being the most common type of injury [1]. The cervical facet joint and its capsule are a common source of pain in these injuries [2]. Biomechanical tolerances of the cervical spine in compression, cervical motion segments in tension, and isolated spinal ligaments have all been reported to vary with age [3, 4]. Although microstructural damage has been shown to occur in the facet capsular ligament well-before the gross failure of that tissue and also has been speculated to relate to painful damage in that ligament [5], there is currently no study investigating ligament damage during tensile loading as function of age.

scholarly journals Relationship between facet joint tropism and degeneration of facet joints and intervertebral discs based on a histological study

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-127
Author(s):  
Ji Hao Cui ◽  
Yong-Chan Kim ◽  
Keunho Lee ◽  
Gyu-Taek Park ◽  
Ki-Tack Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Facet Joint ◽  
Histological Study ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Facet Joints

Microstructural Modeling of Fiber Kinematics and Biomechanics of the Human Facet Capsular Ligament During Subfailure Loading

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan D. Crosby ◽  
Kyle P. Quinn ◽  
Beth A. Winkelstein
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Facet Joint ◽  
Chronic Neck Pain ◽  
The United States ◽  
Neck Injuries ◽  
Capsular Ligament ◽  
Microstructural Modeling ◽  
Mechanical Responses ◽  
Cervical Facet ◽  
Cervical Facet Joint

Whiplash and other traumatic neck injuries are a primary cause of chronic neck pain in the United States, with the cervical facet joint and its ligament being a common anatomical source of the pain. During these injuries, the facet capsular ligament undergoes excessive stretching that alters the subsequent mechanical function of the facet joint and can also initiate pain [1,2]. Accordingly, defining the mechanical response of the facet capsule requires understanding its microstructural response during loading. Although the macro-mechanical responses of ligaments for many types of loading and injury scenarios have been studied, the microstructural and fibrillar responses in the facet capsular ligament remain largely undefined.

Treatment: spinal surgery

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinrich Boehm ◽  
Y. Raja Rampersaud
Keyword(s):  
Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Spinal Column ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Minor Trauma ◽  
Normal Stresses ◽  
Muscle Action ◽  
Associated Symptoms ◽  
Spinal Ligaments ◽  
Remarkable Progress

Despite remarkable progress in understanding the pathological processes and alleviating symptoms by TNFα‎ blocking medication, the mechanism that converts flexible tissue into bone still cannot be completely prevented or reversed. In axial spondyloarthritis, components of motion segments, such as zygoapophyseal joints, intervertebral discs, and spinal ligaments, can ossify in varying sequence, extent, and location between the ilium and occiput. Throughout this process, the spinal column is vulnerable to kyphotic deformity due to gravity, body weight, muscle action, and life’s flexion-based activities. Areas with low fusion tendency, such as atlanto-axial joints, and post-traumatically weakened spots of formerly ankylosed vertebral block (Andersson’s lesion) can endanger the spinal cord by instability, dislocation, and compression, from what is typically minor trauma or simple repetitive, but otherwise normal, stresses. Once functionally significant deformity or presence of instability and associated symptoms are established, conservative treatment options are lacking and surgical consideration is required.

Cervical Spine Vertebral and Facet Joint Kinematics Under Whiplash

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Yoganandan ◽  
F. A. Pintar ◽  
M. Klienberger
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Cervical Spine ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Facet Joint ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Joint Kinematics ◽  
Societal Impact ◽  
Whiplash Injuries ◽  
Pain Symptoms ◽  
Head Neck

Whiplash injuries sustained during a rear-end automobile collision have significant societal impact. The scientific literature on whiplash loading is both diverse and confusing. Definitive studies are lacking to describe the local mechanisms of injury that induce either acute or chronic pain symptoms. A methodology has been presented to quantify the kinematics of the cervical spine components by inducing controlled whiplash-type forces to intact human head-neck complexes. The localized facet joint kinematics and the overall segmental motions of the cervical spine are presented. It is anticipated that the use of this methodology will assist in a better delineation of the localized mechanisms of injury leading to whiplash pain.

Loads distributed in vivo among vertebrae, muscles, spinal ligaments, and intervertebral discs in a passively flexed lumbar spine

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 2015-2047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falk Mörl ◽  
Michael Günther ◽  
Julia M. Riede ◽  
Maria Hammer ◽  
Syn Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Lumbar Spine ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Spinal Ligaments

Whiplash Injuries

1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Baldry
Keyword(s):  
Facet Joint ◽  
Joint Damage ◽  
Trigger Points ◽  
Intervertebral Discs ◽  
Organic Basis ◽  
Myofascial Trigger Points ◽  
Neck Sprain ◽  
Compensation Seeking ◽  
Whiplash Syndrome ◽  
Late Whiplash Syndrome

Sites from which whiplash injury pain (acute neck sprain) may arise include myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), facet joints and the intervertebral discs. There are various methods of deactivating MTrPs; that recommended is superficial dry needling. Pain referral patterns from facet joint and MTrP nociceptors are similar, so failure to obtain appreciable pain relief from MTrP deactivation necessitates a diagnostic, fluoroscopically controlled, facet joint block. Disc pain may occur either because of damage to the innervated annulus fibrosus of an intact disc, or because of nerve root pressure when a disc ruptures. Most whiplash patients (75%) become pain free within 3–6 months. The remainder are said to have the late whiplash syndrome. This was formerly thought to be due to neuroticism or compensation seeking avarice, but it is currently considered to have a genuine organic basis. Possible causes include overlooked facet joint damage, undetected disc damage and various self perpetuating MTrP pain persisting mechanisms.

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