STUDY DESIGN This research utilized a cross-sectional design with control group inclusion. OBJECTIVES Preliminary evidence suggests that a portion of the patient population with chronic whiplash may have sustained spinal cord damage. Our hypothesis is that in some cases of chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), observed muscle weakness in the legs will be associated with local signs of a partial spinal cord injury of the cervical spine. SETTING University based laboratory in Chicago, IL, USA. METHODS Five participants with chronic WAD were compared with five gender/age/height/weight/body mass index (BMI) control participants. For a secondary investigation, the chronic WAD group was compared with five unmatched participants with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Spinal cord motor tract integrity was assessed using magnetization transfer imaging. Muscle fat infiltration (MFI) was quantified using fat/water separation magnetic resonance imaging. Central volitional muscle activation of the plantarflexors was assessed using a burst superimposition technique. RESULTS We found reduced spinal cord motor tract integrity, increased MFI of the neck and lower extremity muscles and significantly impaired voluntary plantarflexor muscle activation in five participants with chronic WAD. The lower extremity structural changes and volitional weakness in chronic WAD were comparable to participants with iSCI. CONCLUSION The results support the position that a subset of the chronic whiplash population may have sustained partial damage to the spinal cord. SPONSORSHIP NIH R01HD079076-01A1, NIH T32 HD057845 and the Foundation for Physical Therapy Promotion of Doctoral Studies program.

中文翻译：

---

慢性鞭打和不完全脊髓损伤之间的潜在关联。

研究设计本研究采用了包含对照组的横断面设计。目的初步证据表明，患有慢性鞭打的部分患者可能会持续遭受脊髓损伤。我们的假设是，在某些慢性鞭打相关疾病（WAD）的情况下，观察到的腿部肌肉无力将与颈椎部分脊髓损伤的局部体征相关。设在美国伊利诺伊州芝加哥市的大学实验室。方法将5名慢性WAD参与者与5名性别/年龄/身高/体重/体重指数（BMI）对照参与者进行比较。进行二次研究时，将慢性WAD组与5名无与伦比的运动不完全性脊髓损伤（iSCI）参与者进行了比较。使用磁化转移成像评估脊髓运动道完整性。使用脂肪/水分离磁共振成像对肌肉脂肪浸润（MFI）进行定量。使用爆发叠加技术评估the屈的中央自愿性肌肉激活。结果我们发现5名慢性WAD参与者的脊髓运动系统完整性降低，颈部和下肢肌肉MFI增加以及自发plant屈肌激活明显受损。慢性WAD的下肢结构变化和意志力弱点与iSCI参与者相当。结论该结果支持以下观点：慢性鞭打人群的一部分可能对脊髓具有持续的部分损伤。赞助NIH R01HD079076-01A1，