exhR0009b

This medical illustration series depicts whiplash - coup and contrecoup closed head injury. It shows the contrecoup injury occurring when the force from a rear end automobile collision causes the head to snap backward while the front of the brain strikes the interior of the skull. The brain moves forward until it meets with a solid object. In the coup injury, the head recoils forward, as happens when the body is restrained by a lap and shoulder belt, while the brain remains in stasis until the forward rushing skull strikes the rear part of the brain. … more