What Do I Do About Whiplash?

I recently had a football player come into the clinic after suffering a whiplash injury during practice.

Whiplash is one of those injuries that should be addressed as quickly as possible. In many cases, the sooner you begin the appropriate treatment, the smoother the recovery tends to be.

Whiplash can happen for a variety of reasons, including sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, or even a fall down the stairs.

So what should you do if it happens?

1. Manage the initial pain

During the first 24 to 48 hours, many people find that ice helps reduce pain and discomfort. Applying ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time several times throughout the day can be helpful during this early stage.

After the first day or two, many people find heat to be more comfortable. Whether it is a heating pad, a warm shower, or another source of gentle heat, increasing blood flow to the area can help relax the surrounding muscles and make movement more comfortable.

2. Get evaluated by a medical professional

One of the most important steps is getting evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.

This could be a physical therapist, athletic trainer, chiropractor, orthopedic physician, or another medical professional who is trained to evaluate neck injuries.

The goal of the examination is to rule out more serious conditions such as a fracture, significant ligament injury, nerve injury, or concussion. This is especially important after high-speed car accidents or high-impact sports injuries.

Once those more serious injuries have been ruled out, we can begin focusing on recovery.

3. Start moving as soon as it is appropriate

One of the biggest mistakes people make after whiplash is trying to avoid all movement.

As long as you have been cleared by a medical professional, gentle movement is usually one of the best things you can do.

For more significant injuries, I typically begin with simple exercises such as chin tucks, gentle head rotations, and controlled neck movements.

As symptoms improve, we gradually progress into strengthening exercises for the neck, upper back, and shoulders so the muscles can better support the cervical spine.

I will link a video here that demonstrates a good progression of exercises for whiplash recovery.

The goal is not to avoid movement.

The goal is to gradually restore normal movement while allowing the injured tissues to heal.

The sooner the neck begins moving appropriately, the less likely it is to become stiff and painful over the long term.

If you or someone you know has recently experienced whiplash, we would be happy to help guide you through the recovery process.

Dr. Caleb