Question
I am a student in Ottawa,Ontario,Canada and last summer I got into a head on collision on my bycicle with a car. I broke my c1,2,3,5,6,7 and t3. I wore a halo for 3 months and a collar for another 2. I feel great now but what are possible long term effects of this ammount of damage? As long as I stay active I often feel about 98% normal. Could artheritis or anything worse occur in the future? Is my neck stronger now than it was before? THanks

Answer
You are quite lucky not to have any loss of function at this time.  You are correct in thinking that there will be some long-term effects.  The vertebra were all broken and never return to their original strength.  The chances of having arthritis, neck pain, shoulder pain, and numbness in your arms and hands is increased but that doesn't mean it will happen.  Taking good care of yourself will help decrease the possibility of problems later.

Thank you for your question, Avery.  I hope that my answer was helpful.