“I have neck and back pain following my car accident. What should I do?”
Whiplash is the soft tissue injury that occurs when there is a rapid acceleration and deceleration of your head and upper body. It is most commonly associated with motor vehicle collisions, especially rear-end and side-impact collisions. Your head and torso are thrown with force in one direction, and then rebound violently in the opposite direction. The soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) of your neck and upper back are unable to compensate for the speed of the body’s movements. The injury results in neck and back pain and stiffness. For some, sleep is disturbed and tolerance for every day tasks such as sitting or standing is reduced.
In BC, patients who are injured in a car accident and have started a claim with ICBC are pre-approved for 25 physiotherapy and 12 massage therapy treatments within 12 weeks of the date of the collision. Our clinic is part of ICBC’s Recovery Network who can direct bill ICBC during your recovery. Working with our physiotherapists or RMTs, your treatment will incorporate hands-on treatment to help your soft tissues to heal and teach you helpful exercises and strategies to manage your symptoms at home. Returning to activities at a pace and level which is acceptable to your body is an important milestone.
The following is an excellent resource for our patients suffering from whiplash injury written by respected Physiotherapist and Professor Gwendolen Jull at the University of Queensland, Australia. The guide is based on research and published by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) of Australia. It is made available here electronically for personal use only. We hope it will help our patients with whiplash injury understand the recovery process and learn practical tips on how to manage their symptoms at home and at work.
Whiplash Injury Recovery: A Self-Management Guide