Whiplash

Although significant advances have been made in car design and safety to reduce the incidence of whiplash injuries, whiplash injuries still occur and are another of the “Hard to treat” phenomena. Whiplash occurs during rapid changes of direction of the head on the neck. Vertebrae, ligaments, muscles, nerves, discs etc become alternately stretched and compressed. The result is severe, widespread soft tissue and possibly bony trauma. The results are painful and can take a long time to settle. Sometimes the symptoms may never subside or a person may have severe long-term limitation of movement in the neck.

Early therapeutic physical therapy intervention can provide considerable relief in the early stages of the injury. The therapy should be aimed at decreasing pain, decreasing inflammation, maintaining range of movement in the neck and in the neural tissue (nerves), preventing joint stiffness, assessing for upper neck instability (which can be a potentially fatal injury if left untreated) from ruptured ligaments/fractured bones.

If signs & symptoms are managed well early, then the chronic symptoms are much less likely to occur.

Physical therapy techniques used can include:  

Joint mobilizations

Nerve mobilizations

Soft tissue mobilizations

Home exercise training

Modalities to decrease pain and inflammation (e.g. ice, pulsed ultrasound, electrical stimulation)

Advice on self management

Appropriate immobilization

Car/home/work ergonomic assessment & corrective advice