Whiplash Treatments in Toronto: Physiotherapy for Motor Vehicle Injuries

It’s all too easy and too common to be involved in a car crash whether it be a mild rear end or major traffic stopping accident. You may feel lucky you survived without any direct trauma but the strain on neck muscles and soft tissue will become apparent the following day.

Whiplash injuries occur when there is a sudden and sharp movement of the neck backward and forward. Depending on pain and stiffness, a health care professional will determine the varying degree of the injury: Grade I, II, or III. A stiff neck may be the beginning of more serious pain as it moves into the back of the head or the shoulders. The Symptoms of Whiplash are:

• Blurred vision
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Low back pain
• Neck pain and stiffness
• Pain in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades
• Pain or numbness in the arm and/or hand
• Ringing in the ears
• Sleep disturbances

Treatment with physiotherapy will speed up recovery. Physiotherapists are primary care rehabilitation practitioners who have specialized skills to evaluate the whiplash injury. Through an assessment, the physiotherapist determines the type and extent of soft tissue involvement. They may set out a treatment plan which includes pain management, manual therapy, mobilization, progressive exercise and education.

While in the past, traditional treatment for whiplash used to involve a soft tissue cervical collar and bed rest, it is now known that in most cases early progressive movement and gentle exercise promotes healing and a more rapid return to normal activity and function.

Scientific evidence indicates that early intervention results in faster recovery. Our physiotherapists are ready to start helping you toward pain relief.