Injury Centre | Neck | Whiplash

 

 

Whiplash

Whiplash of the neck covers a large range of injuries that are as a consequence of sudden, rapid movement of the head and neck. This sports injury often occurs in sports including football, rugby, basketball, hockey. It is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck; indeed, whiplash strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck past their typical/ normal range. There is often severe and long lasting pain and stiffness in the neck for the first few days following whiplash. The pain can also be felt in surrounding muscle groups i.e arms, head, chest, shoulders.

 

Symptoms include:

• Pain and stiffness in the neck which may not come on immediately but develop over the following 24 to 48 hours.

• Reduced range of movement in the neck.

• Headaches/Migraines.

Treatment

• Early mobilisation

• After the acute, initial phase manipulation and deep tissue massage may help restore normal function to the neck.

It has been shown that a variety of different tissues may be injured by a whiplash injury. Damage may occur to:-

• blood vessels
• the muscles of the neck
• the discs of the spine

Most of these injuries will not show up on a hospital x-ray. The force of the collision and the previous condition of the neck are factors in the amount of injury and pain experienced. The pain may not start straight after the accident. Restricted neck movement will frequently be a feature. Recovery time from a whiplash injury is extremely variable, ranging from days to years

With a range of injuries comprising whiplash syndrome, a variety of modes of treatment may be needed to minimise pain and restore normal mobility and function including:-

• heat and/or electrotherapy treatment
• cervical joint mobilisation massage
• correct exercise and posture advice
• medication for pain relief and to reduce inflammation
• A lack of appropriate treatment is likely to lead to a longer period of pain and interruption of normal life.

Swift diagnosis from your Doctor and/or Physio will assist you in finding out what your injury involves and what would be the most appropriate treatment.

Disclaimer

All content within sports injury insurance is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Sports injury insurance is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the injury centre. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.