A common cause of neck pain is whiplash, which most often is caused primarily by motor vehicle collisions, according to a column authored by a registered physiotherapist.
But there are differences between whiplash and other neck injuries and learning those differences is important in preparation for managing pain that the injury causes, the column penned by Nick Black in the Lake County Calendar states. Whiplash occurs when rapid acceleration is immediately followed by rapid deceleration, which impacts the neck since the muscles are not prepared to support the speeds.
As a registered physiotherapist, Black often works in tandem with people who hold physical therapy jobs.
Multiple neck joints endure the strain rather than only one joint, which typically occurs during other neck injuries. Whiplash causes harm to soft tissue, including the ligaments and the deep muscles that bolster those joints, the column states.
Yet people who suffer from whiplash typically have a high recovery rate but one that could take as long as one year or perhaps more.
Physical therapists help patients recover from injuries and illnesses while also aiding with the management of pain, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.