What is Whiplash?

How the head moves in a typical whiplash accident. Image courtesy 3DScience.com.

Whiplash describes any injury of the neck's soft tissues resulting from forced movement.

The head's jerking action (not to be confused with the jerk who rear-ended you) pulls muscles and ligaments beyond their typical range of motion, causing fibers to tear. Torn fibers in a muscle or tendon is called a strain, whereas in a ligament it is called a sprain. Whiplash often involves both.

Extreme cases may involve fractured or dislocated bones, too. And if you're the jerk doing the rear-ending, you may experience severe litigation.

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