Five Things Many People Don’t Know About Whiplash

3) Whiplash injury risk increases with age. Older individuals tend to have less movement in the neck largely because of wear and tear on the disks in the cervical spine (osteoarthritis).  A less flexible neck appears to be more prone to injury during the back-and-forth whiplash process.

4) You may not feel pain immediately after a crash as symptoms often will not manifest for hours, days, and sometimes even weeks. Don’t ignore injury warning signs. Experts in the field recommend an early evaluation to detect potential trauma BEFORE symptoms are apparent. Simple tests can often reveal abnormal findings. Studies show that the treatments that promote movement and enhance mobility—such as chiropractic spinal manipulation and mobilization—performed EARLY ON help to speed recovery.

5) Rest is NOT best! The MOST important “take-home” message that can be gleaned from this article is RESUME NORMAL ACTIVITIES ASAP! Although it may seem intuitively wise to rest after a whiplash injury, this approach can quickly cause the muscles to atrophy or shrink and weaken as fast as only 24 hours of bed rest. This can lead to fear of movement and reinjury, which can prolong recovery.

Doctors of chiropractic utilize physical techniques that help to restore motion, which minimizes pain and promotes recovery, an approach that falls in line with treatment guidelines for whiplash care.