Whiplash injury is a combined flexion / extension soft-tissue injury of the cervical spine, common in road traffic accidents.

There are two types of injury:

• in a rear end shunt, the head is thrown backwards and the neck is hyperextended. This tears the anterior longitudinal ligament resulting in bleeding between the ligament and the vertebra. There may be retropharyngeal swelling and dysphagia within hours of the injury.

• a rapid deceleration injury throws the head forwards and flexes the cervical spine. The chin limits forward flexion but the forward movement may be sufficient to cause longitudinal distraction and neurological damage. Hyperextension may occur in subsequent recoil.

Analgesia and patience are the only treatments.