
27 Jul Physiotherapy and Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury when the soft tissues of the neck stretch beyond their full capacity/range of motion following a traumatic incident. The sudden acceleration – deceleration force placed on the neck results in rapid forward, backward and unrestrained movements of the head and neck.
Causes:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Contact sports ie. boxing, football
- Amusement park rides
- Horseback riding
- Falls
- Heavy blow to the head
Symptoms:
Symptoms can occur anywhere from within 24 hours to several weeks following the initial incident. Whiplash injuries range from mild to severe, and the symptoms vary between individuals.
- Concentration difficulties
- Swallowing or speaking difficulties
- Hearing difficulties
- Sleeping difficulties
- Visual disturbances
- Dizziness
- Headaches (usually at base of the skull)
- Loss of movement in the neck
- Neck pain and/or stiffness
- Pain with neck movements
- Shoulder, upper back and/ or arm pain
- Weakness in the arms
- Numbness and tingling in the arms
Assessments:
Your physiotherapist will provide a correct diagnosis of your condition based on your clinical examination, symptom behaviour and history. Further investigations may be required to confirm diagnosis.
Treatments:
The aim of physiotherapy treatment is to regain neck range of movement as soon as possible. Treatment will include: education advice and assurance, electrotherapy, manual therapy and exercise prescription/ home exercise program.
Get qualified help for whiplash
Get in touch with the friendly team at Edgewater Physiotherapy if you need help treating whiplash. Our qualified experts provide fantastic customer service and always achieve amazing results. Contact us to find out more.