Comparison of the Neck Extensor Muscles Dimensions and Echo Intensities between Patients with Whiplash Injury and Healthy Controls

Whiplash injury occurs due to acceleration-deceleration in neck following the accidents. Since neck extensor muscles play a crucial role in mobility and stabilization of neck, their injury might significantly affect continuation and progress of complications. The objective of the present study was to investigate the variations of size and echo intensity of neck extensor muscles in patients suffering from whiplash injury and healthy individuals.
An analytical-sectional study was carried out on 10 healthy persons and 10 patients suffering from whiplash injury whose disease had been confirmed by neurologists and/or orthopedists. Pain severity, neck disability index (NDI) questionnaire score, anterior-posterior diameter, and echo intensities of oblique capitis, posterior rectus capitis, semi-spinalis capitis, splenius capitis, levator scapula, and upper trapezius were measured and recorded.
The present study indicated that thicknesses of rectus capitis and oblique capitis muscles in the patients were smaller as compared with those of the healthy individuals (p<0.05). Normalized echo intensity of the rectus capitis muscle was significantly lower in patients compared with the healthy individuals (p<0.05).
Discussion and The present study demonstrated that extensor muscles of the upper part of neck in the patients suffering from whiplash injury are narrower in terms of thickness and less severe in terms of echo intensity as compared with those of the healthy individuals. The abovementioned muscular alterations are effectively among the reasons associated with continuation of weakness and reduction in tolerance threshold of neck structures in the patients suffering from whiplash injuries.