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Specialists tending to NHL player Sidney Crosbys injuries are now saying hes su ering from a soft-tissue neck injury. So what exactly is a soft-tissue injury? Heres a look at the neck and how it can be injured.

Soft-tissue injuries
Muscles Vertebrae

Hyperextension

Hyperexion

Anatomy of the neck

The neck region of the spinal column is called the cervical spine.
The seven cervical bones are called vertebrae and are numbered C1 to C7.
C1 The vertebrae are held in place by C2 muscles and C3 ligaments that C4 provide support and C5 enable movement of C6 your head. C7 Discs

A soft-tissue injury can be a sprain or tear of muscles, tendons, or ligaments or disc herniation.
Muscles, tendons and bone
Fascia is a Saran Wrap type of tissue that covers bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and organs. Muscle is made up of tiny long bers called myobrils. Each one of these myobrils is covered with fascia. Spinal cord Bone

Violent hits, such as those sustained in hockey, can cause excessive exion and extension of ligaments and muscles in the neck, which can cause the ligaments and muscles that are attached to the vertebrae to tear.

Protected within the bones of the cervical spine are the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels. Intervertebral disc Each bone is separated and cushioned by shock-absorbing discs.

Vertebral body

EXCESSIVE STRETCH Torn muscle bres

The spinal nerves exit the spinal column through holes, called foraminae, on both sides of the vertebrae.

Tendon Tendons attach muscle to bone. Through injury, these bres can separate from the bone.

The muscle itself is covered in fascia along with the tendon that attaches itself to the bone.

Fascia

Muscle bre NORMAL Cross-section of muscle bres

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1; INFOGRAPHIC BY LINDSAY OUELLETTE/QMI AGENCY