Injuries: whiplash injury of the neck: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Injuries: whiplash injury of the neck

Sample item

A passenger in a stationary car is struck from behind. The neck is thrown backwards and then forwards, and the patient has neck pain without fracture. Which structure is typically torn by the hyperextension?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Anterior longitudinal ligament, with strain of neck muscles

In a rear-end collision the head is first hyperextended, which stretches or tears the anterior longitudinal ligament and the anterior neck muscles. It then rebounds into flexion. Whiplash may cause cervical spine instability and spinal cord damage in severe cases.

Option by option

  • A. Interspinous ligament, as in a flexion injury

    The interspinous ligament is injured mainly in forced flexion.

  • B. Anterior longitudinal ligament, with strain of neck muscles (correct)

    Correct. Hyperextension strains the anterior longitudinal ligament.

  • C. Ligamentum nuchae alone

    The ligamentum nuchae is not the characteristic injury.

  • D. Transverse ligament of the atlas

    The transverse ligament of the atlas tears in atlantoaxial instability and not in typical whiplash.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Anterior longitudinal ligament, with strain of neck muscles. In a rear-end collision the head is first hyperextended, which stretches or tears the anterior longitudinal ligament and the anterior neck muscles.

Why is "Interspinous ligament, as in a flexion injury" not the answer?

The interspinous ligament is injured mainly in forced flexion.

Why is "Ligamentum nuchae alone" not the answer?

The ligamentum nuchae is not the characteristic injury.

Why is "Transverse ligament of the atlas" not the answer?

The transverse ligament of the atlas tears in atlantoaxial instability and not in typical whiplash.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries: whiplash injury of the neck in Forensic Medicine. It then rebounds into flexion. Whiplash may cause cervical spine instability and spinal cord damage in severe cases.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Injuries: whiplash injury of the neck?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.