Dr Adriaan Liebenberg My Spine Explained | Page 51

My Spine Explained
Figure 9.1
This diagram illustrates a whiplash injury. Note how the neck is overextend-
ed and then hyper flexed. Especially the extension injury damages the facet
joints of the neck. The disrupted joint surfaces become inflamed and can lead
to arthritic changes.
The ligaments, muscles, nerves and other soft tissue can also be damaged by
the tremendous strain that is placed on them during a whiplash injury. The
intervertebral discs can also be damaged and can lead to neck pain and stiff-
ness. If the disc tears, it may press against a nerve root or even the spinal cord
leading to nerve irritation or damage. This can lead to pain in the arms, pins
and needles and even weakness of muscles.
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