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Whiplash Associated Disease

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Trauma and Orthopaedic Classifications

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Abstract

Whiplash associated disorder is the name given to a collection of symptoms including pain in the neck, head, shoulder and arms following rear end collisions. The classic explanation is that the head is suddenly jerked back and forth beyond its normal limits after a collision or car crash, causing the muscles and ligaments supporting the neck to be injured. More precisely, an upward force on the cervical spine causes abnormal movements of the lower cervical spine with damage to the zygapophyseal and other joints between the vertebrae, at least in some cases. The injury may or may not cause acute symptoms. Those symptoms may be contrived; they may be mild; or they may be serious. The treatment may or may not be effective and many patients may develop chronic problems. The outcome of the natural history of this condition is not predictable and thus Whiplash disease may be the reason for many legal proceedings. The Quebec classification is the most common grading system of Whiplash disease and is based primarily on pathoanatomy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3rd Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Spiros G. Pneumaticos MD, PhD

  2. 3rd Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, KAT Hospital, Athens, Greece

    George K. Triantafyllopoulos MD, PhD

  3. Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Nick G. Lasanianos MD, PhD, MSc

Authors
  1. Spiros G. Pneumaticos MD, PhD
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  2. George K. Triantafyllopoulos MD, PhD
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  3. Nick G. Lasanianos MD, PhD, MSc
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Spiros G. Pneumaticos MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Dept of Trauma & Orthopaedics, School of Medicine University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Nick G. Lasanianos

  2. Academic Dept of Trauma & Orthopaedics, School of Medicine University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Nikolaos K. Kanakaris

  3. Academic Dept of Trauma & Orthopaedics, School of Medicine University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Peter V. Giannoudis

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag London

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Pneumaticos, S.G., Triantafyllopoulos, G.K., Lasanianos, N.G. (2015). Whiplash Associated Disease. In: Lasanianos, N., Kanakaris, N., Giannoudis, P. (eds) Trauma and Orthopaedic Classifications. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6572-9_47

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6572-9_47

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-6571-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-6572-9

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