Preventing Injuries Through Use Of Head And Neck Restraints

By Tonia Michael


While on the roads traveling to various destinations, motorists face various perils. Among these is the risk of other vehicles bumping into them at the rear end. The chances of this happening are even higher when in a traffic jam. Though the rear bumper is designed to absorb the force of such impact, some of the force may reach the motorist and cause serious injury. The first thing that an emergency crew member does at such an accident scene is to place head and neck restraints on the victim.

The inertia of motion experienced by car can cause serious injury when a force of greater magnitude in the same direction hits the vehicle. The jerking backward movement has been known to cause spinal injuries that could even cripple the victims. Sometimes, the impact of the crash may not cause substantial damage to the vehicle and could be underestimated.

The occurrence of such accidents also causes other symptoms that people may fail to associate with it. These include headaches, numbness of the limbs and dizziness. Depending on different individuals, these symptoms could last for a variable period of time. However, in other cases, they could result in other greater problems causing the victims life-long conditions.

There are muscles and tendons that support the neck on the head. On impact, the force stretches these muscles beyond their limits. Medical practitioners could use a variety of techniques heal these. In severe cases, the damage could reach the nerves and ligaments of the neck. If it gets to the spinal cord, the victim may be paralyzed.

Doctors have a variety of techniques at their disposal that they could use to diagnose the extent of injury suffered by victims. Among the most basic is examining the medical records of patients to identify previous ailments that could have led to development of weak points. Another is using x-rays to examine the internal structure of the injured area for fractures.

Bystanders who witness the accident typically try to help the victim by removing him/her from the vehicle. However, this movement could increase the damage done to victim. The best they can be advised to do is place bags of ice on the neck region to relax the stretched muscles. However, they should leave the more complicated tasks for professionals to carry out.

The extent of the injury caused by this impact varies because of several factors. These include the size of vehicle that hits the victim from behind. Large vehicles like trucks cause maximum impact and could cause the most injury. The speed at which it is traveling also influences the amount of force it impacts.

Manufacturers of vehicles include standard features in their vehicles to reduce the impact of such accidents. The most basic of these features is the headrest. Its height should be adjusted to the height of the driver to prevent the head going over it on impact. Emergency response crew should also be trained on the proper use of head and neck restraints. This will help reduce the complications people suffer from.




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