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Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Siegmund, GP; Sanderson, DJ; Myers, BS; Inglis, JT
Published in: Journal of biomechanics
April 2003

To examine whether habituation confounds the study of whiplash injury using human subjects, we quantified changes in the magnitude and temporal development of the neck muscle electromyogram and peak linear and angular head/torso kinematics of subjects exposed to sequential whiplash-like perturbations. Forty-four seated subjects (23F, 21M) underwent 11 consecutive forward horizontal perturbations (peak sled acceleration=1.5 g). Electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded over the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and cervical paraspinal (PARA) muscles with surface electrodes, and head and torso kinematics were measured using linear and angular accelerometers and a 3D motion analysis system. EMG onset occurred at reflex latencies (67-75 ms in SCM) and did not vary with repeated perturbations. EMG amplitude was significantly attenuated by the second perturbation in PARA muscles and by the third perturbation in SCM muscles. The mean decrement in EMG amplitude between the first trial and the mean of the last five trials was between 41% and 64%. Related kinematic changes ranged from a 21% increase in head extension angle to a 29% decrease in forward acceleration at the forehead, and were also significantly different by the second exposure in some variables. Although a wider range of perturbation intensities and inter-perturbation intervals need to be studied, the significant changes observed in both muscle and kinematic variables by the second perturbation indicated that habituation was a potential confounder of whiplash injury studies using repeated perturbations of human subjects.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of biomechanics

DOI

EISSN

1873-2380

ISSN

0021-9290

Publication Date

April 2003

Volume

36

Issue

4

Start / End Page

473 / 482

Related Subject Headings

  • Whiplash Injuries
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Reflex, Stretch
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Neck Muscles
  • Motion
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Head
  • Female
 

Citation

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Siegmund, G. P., Sanderson, D. J., Myers, B. S., & Inglis, J. T. (2003). Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations. Journal of Biomechanics, 36(4), 473–482. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9290(02)00458-x
Siegmund, Gunter P., David J. Sanderson, Barry S. Myers, and J Timothy Inglis. “Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations.Journal of Biomechanics 36, no. 4 (April 2003): 473–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0021-9290(02)00458-x.
Siegmund GP, Sanderson DJ, Myers BS, Inglis JT. Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations. Journal of biomechanics. 2003 Apr;36(4):473–82.
Siegmund, Gunter P., et al. “Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations.Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 36, no. 4, Apr. 2003, pp. 473–82. Epmc, doi:10.1016/s0021-9290(02)00458-x.
Siegmund GP, Sanderson DJ, Myers BS, Inglis JT. Rapid neck muscle adaptation alters the head kinematics of aware and unaware subjects undergoing multiple whiplash-like perturbations. Journal of biomechanics. 2003 Apr;36(4):473–482.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of biomechanics

DOI

EISSN

1873-2380

ISSN

0021-9290

Publication Date

April 2003

Volume

36

Issue

4

Start / End Page

473 / 482

Related Subject Headings

  • Whiplash Injuries
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Reflex, Stretch
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Neck Muscles
  • Motion
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Head
  • Female