Common Whiplash Injuries of the Neck

Interest in whiplash injury of the neck was aroused by the frequency in which this type of injury was encountered in neurosurgical practice and by the chronic nature of the symptoms that were observed after an accident that appeared to be of little consequence. In our experience, most of the accidents that involved a whiplash injury of the neck were caused by a collision in which one vehicle was rammed from behind by another vehicle. Since it has been estimated1that about 15% of all automobile accidents resulting in death, injury, or property damage are caused by a rear-end collision, it occurred to us that whiplash injuries might be encountered frequently in general medical practice. However, very little information on this subject has been published in textbooks or in the current medical literature. PERSONS STUDIED Fifty persons who suffered a whiplash injury of the neck between the years 1948