Question

Common mechanisms of injury for the spine include ________.

1) Extension, when there is severe forward movement of the head.
2) Flexion, when there is severe backward movement of the head.
3) Rotation, when the vertebrae and spinal cord are stretched and pulled apart.
4) Compression, when the weight of the body is driven against the head.

Answer 1

Final answer:

Flexion and extension are movements that involve bending of the neck or trunk either forward or backward.

Step-by-step explanation:

Flexion and extension are movements that take place within the sagittal plane and involve anterior or posterior movements of the neck or trunk. Flexion is an anterior (forward) bending of the neck or trunk, while extension involves a posterior-directed motion, such as straightening from a flexed position or bending backward. These movements of the vertebral column involve both the symphysis joint formed by each intervertebral disc and the synovial joint formed between the vertebrae.