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Journal Article

Citation

Mang DW, Siegmund GP, Brown HJ, Goonetilleke SC, Blouin JS. Spine J. 2014; 15(1): 153-161.

Affiliation

School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada; Brain Research Centre, UBC, Vancouver, Canada; Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS), Vancouver, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.spinee.2014.08.002

PMID

25110275

Abstract

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Neck muscle responses following unexpected rear-end collisions consist of a stereotypical combination of postural and startle responses. Prior work using surface electromyography has shown that the superficial neck muscle responses can be attenuated when a loud tone (105dB) is presented 250ms prior to impact, but the accompanying response of the deeper multifidus muscles remains unknown. Quantifying this response in multifidus is important because this muscle attaches directly to the cervical facet capsule and can potentially increase the strain in the capsule during an impact and contribute to whiplash injury.

PURPOSE: This study will investigate if a loud pre-impact tone decreases the cervical multifidus muscle response during rear-end perturbations. STUDY DESIGN: Following approval by the University's Clinical Ethics Review Board, human volunteers experienced a series of three whiplash-like perturbations. PATIENT SAMPLE: Twelve subjects with no history of neurological disorders or whiplash injury were recruited to participate in this experiment. OUTCOME MEASURES: Bilateral indwelling electromyography of multifidus at the C4 and C6 levels, surface electromyography of sternocleidomastoid and C4 paraspinals, and kinematics of the head/neck were measured.

METHODS: Subjects experienced three whiplash-like perturbations (peak acceleration of 19.5m/s(2)) preceded by either no tone or a loud tone (105dB) presented 250ms before sled acceleration onset. This study was supported by unrestricted grants from multiple national funding agencies with no potential conflicts of interest.

RESULTS: The loud tone decreased muscle activity of C6 multifidus (42%) and C4 paraspinals (30%), but did not affect C4 multifidus or sternocleidomastoid activity. Peak head kinematic responses (extension angle: 6%, retraction: 9%, linear forward acceleration: 9%, and angular acceleration in extension: 13%) were also decreased by the loud pre-impact tone.

CONCLUSIONS: The attenuation of peak C6 multifidus activity and head kinematic responses suggests that a loud pre-impact tone may reduce the strain in the cervical facet capsule, which may reduce the risk of whiplash injury during rear-end collisions.


Language: en

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