Imagine you’re driving through town, jamming to some music, your thoughts wandering–and then, out of nowhere, there’s the sound of crumpling metal as someone rear-ends you. Your car spins, your body slams forward, and your head snaps back and forth. A few days later, the diagnosis is in: you’ve got whiplash. Fortunately, you also have whiplash physiotherapy treatments at Ability Physiotherapy.
Whiplash is an umbrella term used to describe damage to the neck brought on by a particular type of trauma: your head jerking rapidly out of its normal range of motion. It causes several symptoms, some of which may present immediately and some of which might take a few days to arrive.
Most people associate whiplash with automobile accidents, as they’re the most common reason for someone’s head to jerk forward and backward in the manner necessary to develop the condition. However, you can also experience whiplash after a hard-enough fall or as the result of a sports injury.
If you’re experiencing whiplash-related symptoms, physiotherapy offers several potential solutions. While those symptoms may resolve independently, plenty of people continue experiencing lingering neck pain and headaches months or even years after their injury. Whiplash physiotherapy treatments can help resolve your symptoms for good.
Curious to know more? Keep reading for a quick overview–or call our Calgary, AB clinic for more personalized information!
Whiplash Symptoms To Watch Out For
The term “whiplash” technically refers to the action that causes your symptoms–the involuntary “headbanging” motion that forces your head to whip forward and backward. That motion can then damage several different tissues and structures throughout your neck, leading to symptoms:
- Spinal ligaments
- Neck muscles and tendons
- Spinal joints
- Spinal cartilage
- Intervertebral discs
- Nerve roots
Your exact symptoms of whiplash will vary based on which parts of your neck suffered damage, so symptoms can vary widely. Here are a few of the most common:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness and immobility
- Headaches that start at the base of the skull
- Tingling or numbness in the shoulders, arms, or upper back
- Dizziness
Some people may also experience sensory or emotional symptoms, including mood changes, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, or sleep disturbances, although these are much less common. It’s also important to remember that symptoms might not start immediately after your accident, so you may not notice any until a few days have passed.
Common Physiotherapy Treatments for Whiplash Symptoms
The team of physiotherapists at Ability Physiotherapy can help you resolve the major physical symptoms of whiplash, especially pain and immobility. We offer several hands-on techniques that focus on reducing pain and restoring strength and functionality in your neck.
The two most crucial whiplash physiotherapy treatments are manual therapy and targeted exercise. When utilized together, studies show them to be the most effective method of managing whiplash symptoms.
Manual therapy is a set of hands-on treatment approaches that can reduce pain, improve mobility, and promote blood circulation. For people with severe neck stiffness, we might utilize joint mobilization to guide the cervical (neck) spine through its current range of motion. Over time, you’ll see a gradual improvement in your mobility.
Soft tissue mobilization is also a useful manual therapy technique. It involves massaging and manipulating the soft tissue in your neck (your muscles, tendons, and ligaments), helping manage pain over time.
However, manual therapy alone usually isn’t enough to resolve whiplash symptoms. A targeted, tailored exercise program is one of the best ways to combat discomfort. We’ll show you which exercises to perform and ensure you’re doing them correctly, and we’ll likely provide you with additional mobility exercises you can do at home.
Your whiplash exercise treatment will start gently and gradually increase intensity over time. As you improve your pain and stiffness levels, we’ll begin working on exercises designed to strengthen your neck, shoulder, and back muscles, providing the support your cervical spine needs.
What To Expect During Your Physiotherapy Sessions
Our therapists will begin with a comprehensive exam that allows us to better understand the exact nature of your experience with whiplash. We’ll take a complete health history, discuss your symptoms, and perform several movement screens to help us identify further impairments.
During your subsequent sessions, we’ll guide you through your whiplash physiotherapy treatments. We’ll incorporate manual therapy techniques to prepare your body for more intense exercise treatments. When you come in for your appointments, make sure to wear comfortable clothes, as you will be moving!
One thing we probably won’t suggest during your sessions is wearing a cervical collar. While those soft foam donuts provide a visual cue for whiplash in movies and television shows, science suggests they don’t work nearly as well as exercise and joint mobilization.
Schedule an Appointment for Whiplash Physiotherapy Treatments
Struggling with pain after a whiplash injury? Ability Physiotherapy is here to help! Request an initial consultation with us today to get started on your own customized treatment plan.
