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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
Published on: July 24, 2012
Influence of thoracic ramping on whiplash kinematics
Brian D Stemper1, Narayan Yoganandan, Raj D Rao
1Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. stemps@mcw.edu
Background:
Some experimental whiplash investigations using human volunteers and full-body cadavers reported thoracic ramping, characterized by superior translation and extension rotation of the cervico-thoracic junction. The effect of this phenomenon on cervical spinal kinematics has not been quantitatively determined.
Methods:
A comprehensively validated computational model exercised in 2.7 m/s rear impact was used to determine effects of superior translation and extension rotation of T1 on cervical segmental kinematics during the retraction phase.
Findings:
In general, thoracic ramping had a minimal effect on cervical intervertebral kinematics during retraction.
Interpretation:
Results of the present study demonstrated that magnitude of thoracic ramping plays a minimal role in the whiplash injury mechanism due to decreased effect on cervical segmental kinematics.
