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Updated: Jul 25, 2026

A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
Published on: July 24, 2012
Gender dependent cervical spine segmental kinematics during whiplash
Brian D Stemper1, Narayan Yoganandan, Frank A Pintar
1Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue, 53226, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Abstract:
Clinical and epidemiological studies have frequently reported that female occupants sustain whiplash injuries more often than males. The current study was based on the hypothesis that segmental level-by-level cervical intervertebral motions in females are greater than in males during rear impact. The hypothesis was tested by subjecting 10 intact human cadaver head-neck complexes (five males, five females) to rear impact loading. Intervertebral kinematics were analyzed as a function of spinal level at the time of maximum cervical S-curve, which occurred during the loading phase. Segmental angles were significantly greater (p<0.05) in female specimens at C2-C3, C4-C5, C5-C6, and C6-C7 levels. Because greater angulations are associated with stretch in the innervated components of the cervical spinal column, these findings may offer a biomechanical explanation for the higher incidence of whiplash-related complaints in female patients secondary to rear impact acceleration.
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