If you've ever been in a car accident in Morgan Hill CA, you know how stressful, time-consuming and soul-sucking it can be to handle all of the logistics surrounding the event. What you may not know is that the majority of auto accident injury claims occur at relatively low speeds of about 12 mph or less.

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Dangers of Low-Speed Accidents in Morgan Hill CA

Three different studies proved the mechanism by which the neck is injured by a rear impact force simulating a car accident. The researchers found that the neck was injured by deforming into an S-shaped configuration within fractions of a second of the impact before the occupant is aware of the impact and before reflexes can protect them. All three of these studies found that this physical event occurred at speeds as low as 2.5 miles per hour!

For those of you who know me, you know that one of the primary things I look for in a cervical x-ray is the shape of the curve. When the curve is altered, it has a negative impact on the sensory input to the brain, which then changes the way the brain perceives the body. This has all kinds of consequences, including loss of strength and coordination, headaches, low back pain, altered biomechanics that lead to rapid degeneration of the joints in the neck, and postural deformations.

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Car Accident Chiropractic Care

If you have been in an auto accident, even a low-speed accident, you would benefit from chiropractic care. Proper curves in the spine are there to distribute weight evenly throughout your spine and prevent rapid degeneration of certain joints.

If you already have some arthritis in your joints, it's not too late to work on your spinal biomechanics! It doesn't undo the damage that's been done but protects it from further damage. It improves range of motion, coordination, strength, and sensory input.

Yours in Health,
Dr. Nicole

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References

• Panjabi MM, Grauer JN (1997): “Whiplash produces a S-shape curvature of the neck with hyperextension at lower levels. ” Spine 22 (21): 2489-94.
• Panjabi MM, Cholewicki J, Nibu K, Grauer JN, Babat LB, Dvorak J, Bar HF (1998-12-01): “[Biomechanics of whiplash injury].” Orthopade 1998 Dec; 27(12): 813-9.
• Koji Kaneoka, Koshiro Ono, Satoshi Inami and Koichiro Hayashi (99-04-15). “Motion analysis of cervical vertebrae during whiplash loading.” Spine 24(8): 763-770
• Characteristics of Specific Automobile Bumpers in Low Velocity Impacts, SAE 940916