Most people who get a whiplash-like injury think it is caused by a problem in their muscles. It’s easy to see this why this may be the case since muscle pain following car accidents is so common. Deep pain and even spasm can occur after severe trauma resulting in daily pain and even headaches. Since our 8 -12 pound head (a small bowling ball) is attached to our necks, by muscles that go into the shoulder region, whiplash can feel like a...
But It’s Just A Fender-bender, Right?
Even a simple car accident may not seem like much if no blood was involved or the vehicle only had a small dent in the bumper. But these little problems do end up having consequences, and the x-ray usually shows these effects. When I review a patient’s x-rays, there are sometimes changes that had to occur years earlier. It is often the beginning stages of arthritis with disk degeneration. If you recently injured your neck in a car accident...
Whiplash and Treatment Delay: Does it Matter?
When a person is involved in a car accident, the inevitable question comes up: should I see a doctor? In most cases the answer is yes. But why is this important? A collision between two vehicles imparts a considerable amount of force on the body and spine. Even in low speed collisions, the forces add up to several times the force of gravity. So what does this mean? It means your body generally cannot protect againstĀ such large forces without...
Whiplash And Your Protection From Car Seats
Car seats have made many advances over the years with newer models having integrated side impact airbags. While side impact bags are important for side impacts the most unprotected direction to protect from is the rear-ender. The main protection for the rear impact collision is the headrest. But if not positioned properly, the headrest will give little protection. In some cases it might even accentuate the injury mechanism. The first and most...
Sit Up Straight! Minimizing Your Risk for Whiplash
The first preventive measure is making sure your seat is upright and the head rest touches the top part of the back of your head. If there is a lot of distance between your head and the rest, it will do little to help in the event of a collision. Also, if the headrest is too low, in can act as fulcrum, leveraging your neck into a worse position, and increasing injury risk. If you are aware you are about to be hit, it is probably best to remain...
