Sports Physiotherapy – Relief for Victims of Whiplash Injury

If you have suffered a neck Injury like whiplash whilst playing sport, physiotherapy is often the way to a complete recovery Sports injuries which involve fall, jolts or blows to the head and damage to the neck can often lead to a painful whiplash injury, particularly if you play rugby, ice hockey or the martial arts. An immobile or stiff neck back muscle spasms and pain, headaches all can point to whiplash injuries after an accident game. The symptoms of whiplash can cause substantial pain and distress to the recovering participant, and while moderate symptoms can disappear in 2-3 days, the more severe effects can persist for quite a few months. It is very likely that you will need some time while the injury is treated and this can be quite disruptive, particularly to professional athletes and players. And unfortunately, if chronic pain grows, a long-term whiplash injury can jeopardize your entire career.

Treating Whiplash Injury

In most cases of sports injury it is important for the participant to get swift treatment, in order to minimize the recovery time and get the player back on her feet as soon as possible. Since the severity of whiplash injuries varies, so does the nature of the treatment and the amount of rehabilitation. Treatment aims to manage neck pain and stiffness in the neck, letting the damage to the delicate soft tissues around the cervical spine to cure. This may take the form of applying an ice pack to decrease neck swelling, decent posture and gentle neck exercise to promote movement, and painkillers to alleviate the pain associated with whiplash. But it is a case Participant suffers a serious whiplash injury. It is possible for fragile ligaments to be sprained or torn, and the other soft tissues of the cervical spine such as tendons and muscles, and the spinal cord and nerves seriously damaged. Often, with the probability of a participant’s career being jeopardized by a debilitating injury, the best alternative for a rapid and complete recovery is physiotherapy.

The Objectives of Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists aim to treat injuries to muscles, bones and the lungs and heart, to be able to enhance the body’s free movement and encourage recovery, helping to raise the patient’s liberty, particularly where problems such as whiplash have caused disruption to work and daily activities. A diverse selection of approaches is used in york physiotherapy; one of them is massage, manipulation, specific exercises and hydrotherapy. A factor in Physiotherapy is the importance given to understanding what impacts the individual contextually drawing on psychological, social and cultural elements. Physiotherapy is particularly helpful in treating sports injuries due to its systematic, holistic approach, which incorporates preventative measures to prevent future injury. Much of the information and further advice and help if you are suffering from whiplash can be found on the NHS Alternatives website.