Whiplash occurs when the muscles in your neck suffer a strain because of a rapid movement backward and then forward. The sudden motion causes your neck’s tendons and ligaments to stretch and tear, resulting in whiplash.
Some things that can cause whiplash include:
- car accidents
- physical abuse, such as being punched or shaken
- contact sports such as football, boxing, and karate
- horseback riding
- cycling accidents
- falls in which the head violently jerks backward
- blows to the head with a heavy object