Whiplash is a common injury caused by a sudden and forceful accerleration-decerleration energy transfer to the neck and surrounding musculature, bones, joints, ligaments and nerves. Typically, it is caused by a motor vehicle accident involving a rear force. However, other additional causes could include any sport related collisions, falls or extreme activities such as bungy jumping.
After a rear end impact, initially, your cervical spine forms as ‘S’ shape (upper neck flexion, lower neck extension). Your thoracic spine and trunk then moves upwards and forwards (further compressing your cervical spine and induces extension). Then, your whole spine extends backwards. As your spinal and stabilising muscles are still not active at this point, the force causes your neck to move beyond the normal range of movement and effectively sprains your joints, muscles and ligaments in your neck. Very rapidly afterwards, the reverse movement happens and you get a rebound phenomenon. This rapid acceleration-deceleration movement on the neck is the biomechanical cause behind a whiplash.
Figure 1: From Whiplash Injury of the Cervical Spine [Strain and Sprain], by Dr. A.P. Singh. (https://boneandspine.com/whiplash-injury-cervical-spine/)
Causes of Whiplash
- Rear end motor vehicle accidents.
- Roller coasters.
- Direct collision during sport.
- Bungy jumping.
- A direct blow to the head or neck.
Signs and Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury
There is an endless list of possible symptoms experienced following a whiplash injury and every person presents uniquely. It is also important to note symptoms may come on immediately after the injury or have a delayed onset. Some of the common signs and symptoms include;
- Pain in the neck, jaw, arm and middle to lower back.
- Headaches.
- Stiffness and limited range of movement in the neck.
- Numbness or weakness is the upper arms.
- Dizziness.
- Visual disturbances such as blurred vision.
- Difficulty swallowing.
- General unsteadiness.
- Auditory disturbances.
- Cognitive difficulties such as irritability and poor concentration.
- Psychological distress including PTSD, avoidant behaviours, hyperarousal, insomnia, depression, anxiety, passive coping mechanisms.
Sometimes, due to the traumatic cause of most whiplash injuries, people may experience more intense symptoms. The symptoms listed below are ‘red flags’, and if you or a anyone else is experiencing the symptoms listed below you should visit a medical professional immediately as something more sinister may be going on.
- Pins and needles in both arms or legs.
- Pins and needles or numbness in the face.
- Severe and immediate neck or arm pain.
- Marked deformity.
- Difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing.
- Drop attacks and fainting.
- Bladder or bowel problems.
- Gait disturbances.
- Severe difficulty holding the head up or feelings of the head being too heavy for the neck
Prognosis
Good news is most whiplash injuries get better from as little as a few days. However, as everyone presents differently, recovery times also vary from person to person. A medical professional will grade your injury from 0-4 based on its severity, which will likely indicate how long recovery will take.
Physiotherapy and Whiplash
If you believe you are suffering from a whiplash associated disorder and aren’t experiencing any of the red flags listed above, a physiotherapist is able to work with you to guide and treat your injury. A physiotherapist will be able to apply a holistic evidence based biopsychosocial approach to therapy in order to get you back doing the things you love!
Treatment will aim to;
- Provide education, support and re-assurance on the mechanism of injury, pathology and coping strategies to empower you to self-manage your condition at home.
- Reduce neck, arm or back pain and inflammation.
- Settle any headaches.
- Improve and restore range of motion.
- Improve strength of your spinal and supportive musculature in order to improve your stability.
- Improve posture, balance and gait.
- Look at your lifestyle and ergonomics to reduce the risk of injury in the future.
If you would like to learn more about physiotherapy following a whiplash associated disorder, the physiotherapists at Back In Motion Como would love to help!
Website: https://www.backinmotion.com.au/como
Phone Number: 9313 3414