BOOK PHYSIO | BOOK PILATES
HealthFlex
×
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Blog
    • Privacy Policy
    • Testimonials
    • Recruitment
  • Virtual Clinic
    • Telehealth
      • Virtual Physio FAQs
      • Online Rehab Packages
      • About Virtual Physio
    • Online Pilates
    • Physiapp
  • What We Do
    • Services
      • Physio Lisburn
      • Sports Injury Lisburn
      • Paediatric Physio Lisburn
      • Acupuncture Lisburn
      • Pilates Lisburn
      • Massage Lisburn
    • Conditions We Treat
      • Neck Pain
      • Back Pain Lisburn
      • Hip Pain
      • Knee Pain
      • Shoulder Pain
      • Lower Limb Pain
    • Treatments
      • Manual Therapy
      • Electrotherapy
      • Exercise Programmes
      • Taping
  • Appointments
  • Contact

Whiplash – how to manage a true pain in the neck

Whiplash – how to manage a true pain in the neck
26th February 2018TimBack painLisburnNeck painPhysiotherapyWhiplashLisburnNeck painNorthern IrelandPhysiotherapyWhiplash

Here at advance physiotherapy and sports injury clinic based in Lisburn Northern Ireland, we treat a number of different injuries and painful conditions. One of the injuries we will often see is whiplash Associated Disorder (the official term – WAD). It’s a condition that has bad press because some people see money signs when their insurance company asks have they been in any pain since the road traffic collision. Answer Yes + then get treatment = more money. But actually for most people it’s not that simple. All cases of whiplash go through a thorough assessment and screening to determine if they have actually suffered from whiplash or if they’re making it up. So if you are thinking of making up a claim: Beware, your physiotherapist will be on to you quickly and suss you out.

This post is really for those who have actually suffered neck related injury from a road traffic collision. It’s for average Joe who is in pain and who actually wants to recover. It’s a simple guide to help you improve your recovery. So here it is, my top tips on managing whiplash.

Three useful tips on how to manage whiplash from a physiotherapist’s viewpoint

  1. STAY RELAXED – Whiplash can be stressful. You’ve just been hit from behind by another car and you’re stressed thinking about who to call, what damage has been done to the car and remembering to swap details with the other driver. The shock of being hit from a car that you perhaps did not see in the rear mirror can raise stress levels. Driving afterwards can sometimes make you more anxious. Your shoulders start to ache and then you shrug your shoulders from the tension of all that’s happened. Remember “Stay Relaxed!”. Let the shoulders relax and elongate.
    Neck pain after whiplash

    Photo courtesy of Physiopedia

     

  2. MOVEMENT IS KEY – “Active exercise for pain reduction should start within four days of injury” (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy 2005). I don’t know about you but prior to becoming a physiotherapist the first thing I would have thought was that image of someone wearing a collar for weeks on end not moving the neck at all. For a review of whether a neck collar is appropriate see here. This use to be the way whiplash was always treated. Nowadays one of the key messages is that gentle movement of the neck is so important to a complete recovery and should be started as early as possible (see here for a great resource). Once movement has improved then it’s important to gently strengthen the neck (See the deep neck flexor program for an effective evidence based protocol). For more severe neck injuries where a doctor has diagnosed instability a neck collar may be used but this is on the more rare occasions. For most other types of whiplash, Remember “Movement is Key”.       
  3. GET A DIAGNOSIS – One of the first things that you need to do if you’re suffering with neck pain after a road traffic collision is to seek help from a trained medical professional such as your lcoal Physiotherapist. Getting a diagnosis and treatment can be important as:
    • Physiotherapy helps you to fully understand what has happened to you in your road traffic collision
    • Physiotherapy helps you to decrease and better manage your pain
    • Physiotherapy helps you return to work faster
    • Physiotherapy helps you to return to your normal activities of daily living and helps you get back to playing your usual hobbies/ sports

So remember – Stay Relaxed, Movement is Key and Get a Diagnosis. And that’s my top tips for helping you to manage your whiplash associated disorder.

What to do with whiplash?

If you have experienced whiplash recently, are still in pain or unable to do your normal day to day activities then seek professional help. Here at advance physiotherapy and sports injury clinic, whiplash is something we treat all the time and get excellent results in terms of reducing pain and getting people back to work. All our physiotherapists are able to diagnose and treat physiotherapy so feel free to ring us on 02892661435 or contact us via email.

TIM@advancephysio

 

Pink car parked on the road

 

REFERENCES

2005. Clinical guidelines for the physiotherapy management of Whiplash Associated Disorder.

2007. Guidelines for the management of acute Whiplash-Associated Disorders for health professionals.

2009. Neck pain and Whiplash. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. http://www.csp.org.uk/your-health/conditions/neck-pain-whiplash

Whiplash Associated Disorders. (2017, September 11). Physiopedia, . Retrieved 16:56, February 26, 2018 from https://www.physio-pedia.com/index.php?title=Whiplash_Associated_Disorders&oldid=178714.

Deep Neck Flexor Stabilisation Protocol. (2017, June 6). Physiopedia, . Retrieved 17:08, February 26, 2018 from https://www.physio-pedia.com/index.php?title=Deep_Neck_Flexor_Stabilisation_Protocol&oldid=172702.

When should a collar be used to treat neck pain? (2008). Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008 Jun; 1(2): 114–119. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684205/ 

Add Comment Cancel


Recent Posts

  • Different Not Broken Podcast Exercise & Mental Health
  • Exercise and Mental Health
  • 3 Minute Standing Stretches for Stiff Back
  • “I am in pain and need help now”
  • Neck pain at home during coronavirus lockdown

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • October 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • December 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • May 2016

    Categories

    • 25 years
    • Acute injury
    • Ankle pain
    • Back pain
    • Charity
    • children
    • Different Not Broken
    • Exercise
    • In pain and need help now
    • Knee pain
    • Lisburn
    • Lisburn physio
    • Mental Health
    • Neck pain
    • Online Physiotherapy
    • Online Pilates
    • Physiotherapy
    • Pilates
    • Recovery
    • Rehab gym
    • Running
    • technology
    • Tendon pain
    • Too much too soon
    • Uncategorised
    • Virtual Clinic
    • Virtual Physiotherapy
    • Volume and load
    • Whiplash

    (028) 9266 1435

    info@advancephysio.biz

    http://www.advancephysio.biz

    142 Longstone Street, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT28 1TR

    Quick Links

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Appointments
    • Privacy Policy

    Services

    • Physio Lisburn
    • Sports Injury Lisburn
    • Paediatric Physio Lisburn
    • Acupuncture Lisburn
    • Pilates Lisburn
    • Massage Lisburn

    Conditions We Treat

    • Neck Pain
    • Back Pain Lisburn
    • Hip Pain
    • Knee Pain
    • Shoulder Pain
    • Lower Limb Pain

    Treatments

    • Manual Therapy
    • Electrotherapy
    • Exercise Programmes
    • Taping
    Copyright ©2017 all rights reserved
    Designed by SMK Creations
    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT