Whiplash is more common in rear-end collisions, but can occur with front or side impacts.
Interestingly enough, the amount of damage to a vehicle does not correlate to the damage to the patient. Similar injuries can also be sustained during skiing or horseback riding accidents. The combined forward head, neck and shoulder girdle posture and the increased muscle tension cause the head to move to a posterior elevated position with an anterior cervical spine muscle contraction. This is done to maintain the horizontal leveling of the cranium required for equilibrium. The direct consequence is the beginning of an acute muscular spasm, which if left untreated, can become chronic .