Whiplash Neck Injury

Overview. Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. Whiplash is commonly caused by rear-end car crashes. But whiplash also can result from sports accidents, physical abuse and other types of traumas, such as a fall.

Whiplash is a common injury that happens when a sudden movement change puts too much force on your head, neck and body. That causes those body parts to move at slightly different speeds and with subtle differences in direction, straining and damaging bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves in your head, neck and upper back.

Whiplash Neck Injury - Whiplash is an injury to your neck. It's caused by your neck bending forcibly forward and then backward, or vice versa. The injury is not well understood. But it often affects the muscles, disks, nerves, and tendons in your neck. What causes whiplash? Most whiplash injuries result from a collision that includes sudden acceleration or deceleration.