Whiplash is a sudden abrupt movement in the cervical spine. The typical mechanism is a fast, strong bending forward followed by an excessive recoil of the head with hyperextension of the cervical spine, such as in a rear-end collision in a car. Here, ligaments are overstretched without warning and muscles harden due to the sudden overstretching and defensive tension. It is therefore merely a soft tissue injury.
Contents of the physiotherapy
- Relaxation of tense muscles (massage, trigger point therapy, heat)
- Manual therapy (mobilization)
- Strengthening of the musculature
- Fine Coordination
- Reconnaissance
- Physical therapy
In the physiotherapeutic treatment of whiplash, the first step is to influence the individual symptoms. Basically, the program aims to relax the tense muscles, to reduce pain and dizziness and, in advanced stages, to strengthen the muscles in order to rebuild long-term stability. In addition, the patient needs to be educated in order to reduce anxiety, prevent psychological problems and learn how to handle the equipment appropriately for everyday life.
The fine coordination of head movements is also on the exercise program. In order to loosen the muscles after whiplash injury, physiotherapy initially involves passive measures such as classical massage, trigger point therapy or manual therapy. The relaxation of the musculature usually leads to a reduction of pain. Unpleasant headaches and dizziness also decrease.
What does trigger point therapy look like?
Trigger point therapy may only be used after whiplash injury, when possibly injured structures as well as ligaments, muscles and tendons have healed again. It serves to reduce pain, lower muscle tension and improve mobility. During trigger point treatment of the cervical spine, the patient usually lies on his or her back, with the head resting comfortably on a pillow or in slight hyperextension, depending on the position in which the patient can relax best.
The therapist sits behind the patient and successively triggers the trigger points of the short neck muscles directly at the back of the head, the neck extensors next to the cervical spine and also the shoulder and neck muscles up to the collarbone and shoulder blade. The pressure on a painful point is medium strong and is held until a significant relaxation of the muscle is felt, usually between 30 and 60 seconds. To intensify the treatment, the head can be brought into a stretched position beforehand, for example, tilted to the side on a couch.
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