Papers of the Week

Spinal injuries can be divided into contusions, sprains of intervertebral joints, their dislocation and also damage to ligaments and muscles attachment, and fractures. Typical injuries of the cervical spine include trauma caused by a rapid hyperextension of the neck with the following hyperflexion, often referred to as "whiplash" injury, mostly as a result of traffic accidents. The annual incidence is estimated to be up to 600 per 100 000 inhabitants of Western Europe and North America. The most frequent sprain and strain injuries concerns patients aged 21-60 years. The clinical picture in the course of whiplash injury can be miscellaneous. The most frequent accompanying symptoms are neck pain with restricted mobility, headache and neurological symptoms.