Gender differences in neck biomechanics relevant to whiplash injury

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Females have a higher risk of whiplash injury than males.The reason for this higher risk is not clear, but this difference between genders provides an opportunity to increase our understanding of how whiplash injuries develops. The overall objective of the proposed research is to identify anatomical and biomechanical factors that potentially explain the increased risk of whiplash injury in females compared to males. To achieve this objective, female/male comparisons will be made of 1) the size and shape of the muscles of the neck, 2) the alignment and motion patterns of the neck vertebra in different postures and during different voluntary tasks and impact exposures, and 3) the muscle activation patterns generated during different voluntary tasks and impact exposures. In order to isolate gender differences from the more obvious size differences between women and men, the proposed studies will be performed on four groups of subjects: two groups of 50th percentile females and 50th percentile males, and two groups of size-matched females and males. Part 1 of this research will use magnetic resonance (MR) scans of the subjects to examine their neck muscles, Part 2 will use x-ray fluoroscopy to examine the movement patterns of their neck vertebra, and Part 3 will be performed using wires implanted in the neck muscles to measure muscle activity in their superficial and deep neck muscles. Based on our prior work, gender-related differences in muscle size, neck vertebral posture and movement, and muscle activation pattern are expected to be present, even in size-matched female and male subjects. The direct benefit of the proposed research will be a significantly better understanding of the reasons for higher whiplash injury risks in females compared to males. The indirect benefits of the proposed research will be the data needed to develop female crash test dummies and computer models that can be used to design seats and head restraints to protect the segment of the population--females--at greatest risk for whiplash injury.