Cervical multifidus muscle activity during whiplash and startle responses

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Siegmund, G. P.; Blouin, J.-S.; Carpenter, M. G.; Brault, J. R.; Inglis, J. T.

Cervical multifidus muscle activity during whiplash and startle responses

Proceedings of the 34th International Workshop on Human Subjects for Biomechanical Research

Abstract

The cervical multifidus muscles insert onto the lower cervical facet capsules and the cervical facet joints are the source of pain in some chronic whiplash patients. Our goal was to determine if the cervical multifidus muscles were active during a simulated rear-end collision and a loud acoustic stimulus, and thereby assess whether they can contribute to injuring the facet capsular ligaments during a whiplash exposure. Wire electromyographic (EMG) electrodes were inserted unilaterally into the cervical multifidus muscles of 9 subjects (6M, 3F) at the C4 and C6 levels. Seated subjects were then exposed to two external stimuli: a loud acoustic tone (124dB, 40ms, 1kHz) and a rapid forward acceleration (peak acceleration 1.4g, speed change 1.8 km/h). Aside from one female, all subjects exhibited multifidus activity after both stimuli (8 subjects at C4, 6 subjects at C6). Neither onset latencies nor EMG amplitude varied with stimulus type or electrode level (p=0.13). Onset latencies and amplitudes varied widely, with EMG activity during the acceleration stimulus occurring early enough in 5 subjects to exacerbate the peak collision-induced loading of the facet capsular ligaments reported by others. These data indicate that the multifidus muscles of some individuals are evoked during a rear-end collision and support a role for the multifidus muscles in the genesis of facet capsule injury in whiplash.
Links

URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/bio/proceedings/2006_34/34-11.pdf

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