Whiplash occurs any time the head is suddenly jerked forward, backward or sideways and the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the head and neck are strained, resulting in pain.
This happens often in minor car accidents when a driver is hit by another motorist, and while she may be wearing a seat belt, her head can be moved forward, straining the muscles around it.
Physical therapy is generally recommended and you can do similar range of motion exercises at home. However, consult your physical therapist or your doctor if you have severe pain from whiplash.
Neck Range of Motion Exercise
Sitting in a straight-backed chair with your feet flat, extend through the crown of the head as if a book were balanced on top of it. Keeping that extension and length in the spine, turn your head to the right as far as your neck will allow. Return to center and turn your head left. Repeat slowly, five to ten more times. This range of motion exercise is necessary because when you drive, you must be able to turn your head left to right to check the road for traffic.
Supine Neck Exercise
To keep your head and neck in proper, neutral alignment, do the same range of motion exercise described above lying flat on the floor. Lie with feet flat, knees bent, so the knees are stacked directly above the ankles. Lightly draw the lower abdominal muscles in toward the spine. Shrug the shoulder blades down toward the hips and turn the head to the right as if pinning the right ear to the floor. Repeat to the left side. Do five to ten more times then rest.
Neck and Shoulder Range of Motion Exercise
Standing with feet apart at hips-width distance and elongating the spine, roll the shoulders back, moving the shoulder joint back, two or three times. If it is difficult or painful to move both shoulders at the same time, do one at a time slowly. This range of motion moves the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulders and helps stretch the large muscles of the upper back, the trapezius and latissimus, along with the smaller muscles, the levator scapulae, that help the head turn.
Complete this stretch by slowly tilting your heat to the right gently, pausing and then tilting to the left before returning to center.
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