Can a car accident cause degenerative disk protrusion?

A car accident can indeed cause a degenerative disk protrusion. When a person experiences a forceful impact or jolt during a car accident, it can put an extreme amount of stress on the spine and the disks between the vertebrae.

A degenerative disk protrusion, also known as a herniated or slipped disk, occurs when the jelly-like center of a disk pushes through a weak part of the outer layer, often due to wear and tear. However, a sudden and substantial force caused by the impact of a car crash can accelerate disk degeneration or initiate a protrusion even in cases where degenerative changes aren't already present.