how to treat an old whiplash injury

[Rachie]

Hi Angie,

I'm sorry to hear you mother is having trouble. Seeing a physio definitely sounds like a plan, although to see improvements will require effort to do the exercises to correct posture, regain range of movement and strengthen the area. Sleeping with a rolled towel under her neck at night would be good as well to try and avoid her assuming any aggravating positions.

I see you mentioned a neck brace above. That the sports doctor laughed I agree is not nice at all, and could definitely use some work on his interpersonal skills! However, for management of neck problems here in the UK I think neck braces are avoided where possible, as immobilising the neck is thought to increase stiffness and pain further. I did a quick search and found that evidence is as usual conflicting, however many papers advocate exercise over restriction. I have attached a paper which provides somewhat of a summary on whiplash - although it is now 6 years old and is by no means definitive (i didn't have access to newer ones), it does discuss some of this issues in the development and treatment of whiplash.

Hope this was helpful and good luck with it

Rachie

[salsaqueen99]

Hi Rachie,

Thanks for all your help. I agree that my mum needs to stick to a rehab pan in order to get the maximum benefit out of it. It is something which she does not quite understand, however I will work on tht one. It is sad that the sports doctor who was well known in my hometown does not have very good interpersonal skills, I hsould have known because when I saw him, he started an argument with me about the need to have a cortisone injection which would apparently fix the aggravation and pain I was getting in my shoulder. I thought that he might of just been having a bad day but it turns out that I was quite wrong about thatone.

Thanks for also sending me the article. I'll have a read of it tonight and then go from there. It's interesting o see that some are really for and others are against the idea of using a neck brace.

Angie