What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury to the neck from sudden acceleration/deceleration movements, most commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents.

What are the common symptoms of whiplash?

Depending on the severity of your whiplash, you may have symptoms such as neck pain, stiffness, muscle spasm and headache.

How can Physiotherapy help?

Early return to your usual activities leads to the best outcomes in whiplash recovery. It may seem counterintuitive, but the sooner you get back to your usual routine (within the limits of your pain), the more likely you will be to recover well.

Our Physiocare Team can help by:

• Giving you guidance around what is suitable to do in your work and other activities at varying stages of your recovery – they will work with you to come up with strategies for how to find a balance between continuing with as much as you can while not overdoing it
• Prescribing you with gentle movement exercises early on in your treatment and progressing you toward strength exercises later on in your recovery.
• Using hands-on physiotherapy techniques such as joint glides and soft tissue release to help with managing pain and improving the movement at your neck.
• Monitoring your symptoms and progress throughout your treatment and refer you for further investigations (such as an Xray or MRI) if needed.
• Referring you to an exercise physiologist who can take you through a personalized rehabilitation program in the pool or gym to work with you on rebuilding strength and endurance in your neck and upper back muscles to the level that is needed for your lifestyle – whether that is long hours of sitting at a desk, frequent lifting, caring for your family, playing sports or doing any other work or hobbies

How long will it take to improve?

Recovery time from whiplash depends on many different factors such as the severity of your symptoms, your expectations of recovery, and whether or not you had pre-existing neck pain and other health conditions.
Most people with whiplash make a significant recovery in 4-6 weeks, while a small percentage will have some improvements in the first few weeks but continue to have lingering symptoms for as long as 6 months to 1 year. Having better days and worse days is a normal part of the recovery process and should not be taken as a sign that the condition is not improving overall.

How much treatment will I need?

Treatment plans will be made on a case by case basis but you will most likely be recommended to see your physiotherapist twice a week in the first 2-3 weeks and then less frequently as you get better. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may qualify for treatment to be provided through insurance or work cover. You can find out from your GP whether this applies to you.

If you’re looking for effective physiotherapy for whiplash, consider reaching out to our specialists who are dedicated to helping you regain full function and reduce pain.