| What Happens to Your Neck in a Car Crash? | | | | 2. At home care daily, 7 days a week until curve |
| At the moment of impact in a typical rear-end | | | | returns to normal |
| collision, your head remains momentarily still while | | | | Your in office visits will consist of: |
| your body is forced forward. This instantaneous | | | | ·Various forms of cervical (neck) traction |
| separation of the movement of your torso and | | | | that depends on how severe your loss of curve |
| head causes the neck shape to be deformed | | | | is to mold your neck into the proper curvature. |
| injuring muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, joint | | | | ·Isoelectronic muscle rehabilitation also |
| surfaces, nerves and even your brain. | | | | known as Russian Stimulation, to increase muscle |
| This all occurs before you are even conscious of | | | | strength in the back or your neck and shoulders. |
| the collision. By the time you realized you were | | | | ·Myofascial release (stretching, deep |
| hit, your spine as already been damaged! | | | | muscle massage, etc) to remove muscle tension |
| The degree of spine damage depends on many | | | | ·Chiropractic spinal adjustments to |
| factors including your age, gender, body type, | | | | maintain proper joint alignment and freedom of |
| vehicle type, seat and head restraint type, your | | | | movement to allow your neck to be curved. |
| position at impact, previous accidents, and more. | | | | Your "homework" will include: |
| Interestingly, vehicle damage has been repeatedly | | | | ·General stretching of the neck and upper |
| shown NOT to be a good predictor of bodily | | | | back that you were assigned in Initial Relief Care |
| injury. | | | | to loosen the muscles followed by... |
| One of the most reliable factors of injury are | | | | ·Head translation exercise to improve |
| your symptoms and how soon after the collision | | | | upper neck motion and stability |
| they show up and your x-ray findings. Much | | | | ·Neck extension exercise to strengthen |
| research has gone into determining the long-term | | | | the neck |
| outlook of crash victims and how to predict | | | | ·Gravity traction to stretch the muscles in |
| whether you will recover from your injuries or | | | | the front of the neck and mold the neck into the |
| not. | | | | proper curvature. |
| The presence of an abnormal neck curve on | | | | ·Ice pack to relieve inflammation caused |
| x-rays after a collision is a key factor in your | | | | by exercise |
| prognosis. Medical researchers have found that if | | | | The following are the specific exercises to be |
| your neck is damaged it will change it's shape | | | | completed as "homework." |
| which is readily measurable on x-ray examination. | | | | Exercise 1: Head Translation |
| How far from normal your neck curve has | | | | - Stand or sit in a comfortable position. |
| deviated determines how badly you are injured | | | | - Retract your chin backwards. Imagine your chin |
| and how difficult it may be to return your neck to | | | | being pushed backward, while your neck stays |
| normal. | | | | stationary. You should feel increased tension in the |
| "What is a Normal Neck Curve?" | | | | upper neck region as your head slides backwards. |
| A normal neck has a "C" shaped curve that | | | | - Hold position for 20 seconds |
| measures between 30 and 40 degrees. There is | | | | - Return to starting position. |
| some debate about whether or not the higher | | | | - Now stick chin outward while neck remains still |
| number, 40 is a steadfast norm. I believe, if you | | | | and hold for 20 seconds. |
| are between those numbers your neck is within | | | | - Repeat movement from position 2 to position 3, |
| normal specs. | | | | 10 times. |
| A classic example of what is called a | | | | Exercise 2: Neck Extension |
| "hypolordosis" or decreased curve of the neck is | | | | - Lie face down on your bed or the floor. |
| when a neck appears straight or sometimes | | | | - Keeping your chest and shoulders down, lift your |
| curves the wrong direction on x-ray after an | | | | head up and attempt to look at the ceiling. |
| accident. | | | | - Hold position for 10-20 seconds depending on |
| What you need to understand is that after your | | | | your strength. |
| initial treatment that is designed to reduce pain by | | | | - Lower your head, then repeat 10 times. |
| quelling inflammation and spasm, it is highly | | | | *Note: you may not be able to lift your head |
| probable that your neck will still be misshaped like | | | | very high at first. That's all right. Continue to lift as |
| this. Unfortunately, doctors who do not know | | | | much as you can. |
| about or do not understand the importance of | | | | Exercise 3: Gravity Traction |
| fully rehabilitating a neck after an accident, treat | | | | - Roll up a bath towel into a 4" roll, or you may |
| many crash victims. So once your pain is reduced, | | | | use a hard foam roll, and place it on the end of |
| these doctors will unceremoniously release you | | | | your bed. |
| from care without taking a second set of x-rays | | | | - Lie on your back with your neck over the roll |
| to measure your curve. You will be released with | | | | while your head hangs down over the edge of |
| less pain, but your neck is still damaged inside and | | | | the bed. |
| will eventually become painful again. | | | | - Hold for 5 min/day for week one, then 10 min |
| Worse, is that later you will suffer deterioration of | | | | day in week two, increasing to 20 min each day. |
| your neck joints and have early osteoarthritis. | | | | Follow the exercises with an ice pack for 10-12 |
| Medical research indicates a 600% increase in risk | | | | minutes. Always remember to place a paper |
| for early arthritis in victims with persistently | | | | towel between a chemical/plastic ice pack and |
| reduced neck curve after a crash. As you can | | | | your skin and do not exceed 12 minutes. |
| see, it is very important for your long-term health | | | | Perform these exercises daily until your x-rays |
| to correct your neck as much as possible. | | | | show a normal curvature. These exercises are |
| Right about now, you're probably thinking... | | | | also a great way to relieve stress and tension |
| "How Do I get My Neck Back to Normal?" | | | | that may build up throughout the day due to |
| We will assume for the sake of simplicity that | | | | reading, computer and telephone use, etc. |
| you have concluded your Initial Relief Care | | | | If you experience increased pain, headaches, |
| treatment in this office. This treatment has | | | | dizziness or any other symptoms, discontinue the |
| probably taken you anywhere from 4 to 8 | | | | exercise at once and inform your doctor. You |
| weeks. Your pain now should be about 70% | | | | may need to have the exercises modified or |
| better than when you were first injured. It is now | | | | replaced. |
| time for the second phase of care, which is called | | | | It is my sincere hope that you will be diligent with |
| Spinal Rehabilitation care. | | | | your home care as it is just as important as the |
| The two parts to Spinal Rehabilitation Care are: | | | | treatments we provide in the office and that you |
| 1. In office visits at roughly twice each week for | | | | will have a speedy and complete recovery. |
| approximately 4-12 weeks | | | | |