Unfortunately over a quarter of Americans have been in a car accident or motor vehicle collision (MVA) in the last five years and statistically most Americans will be involved in at least one car accident in their lifetime. Collision avoidance systems are quickly improving and eventually we might all be riding in (I can't say 'driving' because we won't be!) Google's driverless car, which should drastically reduce car accidents, but we are not quite there yet. Watch this video to see what the future holds:
Car accidents can cause many injuries, but one of the most common injuries are those referred to as 'whiplash injuries'. People who suffer these injuries often complain of neck or back pain, stiffness, headaches, and can be diagnosed with a cervical disc herniation, nerve impingement, and/or facet joint injuries. Whiplash injuries are caused by rapid hyperextension and then hyperflexion of the cervical spine during the typical rear-end collision.
While making sure your headrest in the proper position or getting a car with an active head restraint can help reduce injury rates, have you ever thought about how important your posture can be to preventing injury from a car accident?
While making sure your headrest in the proper position or getting a car with an active head restraint can help reduce injury rates, have you ever thought about how important your posture can be to preventing injury from a car accident?
Image credit: http://www.idealspine.com/your-neck-curvature-will-help-you-or-hurt-you-if-youre-involved-in-a-car-crash/
The position your cervical spine is in when you are rear-ended can mean the difference between a severe injury and a mild injury. When sitting relaxed, if you have a normal cervical lordosis this can prevent or minimize injury to your neck.
Normal thoracic and cervical curves.
Forward head posture greatly increases the risk and severity of injury during car accidents.
Forward head posture
Bone and joint position, which is dictated by muscle strength and tension, is essential for injury prevention whether we are talking about an ACL tear, rotator cuff injury, meniscus damage, or cervical injury from a car accident. Cervical lordosis puts the bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves, fascia, blood vessels, and spinal cord in their most protected position and will minimize stress during a car accident.
Forward head posture typically produces lower cervical flexion and upper cervical hyperextension which means the upper cervical spine is vulnerable to facet joint injuries and the lower cervical spine to disc injuries from whiplash.
If someone has lower cervical flexion typically sitting on top of thoracic kyphosis, during a rear-end collision the thoracic spine and lower cervical spine are unable to absorb the rapid extension which can cause a spondylolisthesis or herniated disc in the cervical spine.
Forward head posture typically produces lower cervical flexion and upper cervical hyperextension which means the upper cervical spine is vulnerable to facet joint injuries and the lower cervical spine to disc injuries from whiplash.
If someone has lower cervical flexion typically sitting on top of thoracic kyphosis, during a rear-end collision the thoracic spine and lower cervical spine are unable to absorb the rapid extension which can cause a spondylolisthesis or herniated disc in the cervical spine.
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Lowering your risk of whiplash injuries starts with correcting any postural imbalances you have especially thoracic and cervical spine position. Most people have excessive thoracic flexion or kyphosis and the accompanying lower cervical flexion and possibly upper cervical hyperextension. The kyphosis is the first thing that needs to be addressed because without getting more thoracic extension the cervical spine will not be able to move into and stay in a better position. It is important to remember that the body works as a unit and the kyphosis might very well be caused by a pelvis imbalance. Both an excessively posteriorly tilted pelvis and an excessively anteriorly tilted pelvis can cause compensation in the thoracic spine that causes kyphosis.
If you have been involved in a car accident and suffered a whiplash injury or would like to prevent neck or spine injury, I would highly recommend getting your posture evaluated by an Egoscue certified Postural Alignment Specialist and Advanced Exercise Therapist with experience treating these types of injuries.
I would be happy to offer a FREE posture evaluation and consultation to anyone interested in learning more about why their injury isn't healing and learning how Postural Alignment Therapy can help them get back to living a pain free and active life.
Related articles:
Spondylolisthesis and Egoscue
Forward head posture
Static Back
The dangers of epidural steroid injections for pain relief
If you have been involved in a car accident and suffered a whiplash injury or would like to prevent neck or spine injury, I would highly recommend getting your posture evaluated by an Egoscue certified Postural Alignment Specialist and Advanced Exercise Therapist with experience treating these types of injuries.
I would be happy to offer a FREE posture evaluation and consultation to anyone interested in learning more about why their injury isn't healing and learning how Postural Alignment Therapy can help them get back to living a pain free and active life.
Related articles:
Spondylolisthesis and Egoscue
Forward head posture
Static Back
The dangers of epidural steroid injections for pain relief
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