Whiplash is a common term for acceleration-deceleration injuries to the neck, often caused by rear-end or side-impact auto accidents. Symptoms can appear immediately after the injury, or may take months to develop. Recovery varies as well, depending on age, the severity of the original injury, how soon you return to your normal activities and other factors. According to Professor Gwendolen Jull of the University of Queensland, Australia, exercises to stretch and strengthen the neck help you recover faster.
Considerations
Perform neck exercises carefully, moving slowly through each exercise and using control. Rapid, jerky movements may make your pain worse. Apply an ice pack to your neck after exercising to help reduce inflammation and swelling. If you can, ask a personal trainer or physical therapist to work with you at least once, to make sure you do the movements correctly.
Neck Rotation
Pick something to look at over your right shoulder. Turn your head gently toward your target and hold it for 10 seconds. Return your head to center front and repeat the exercise, trying to go a little farther each time. Repeat the stretch five times and then do the same stretch looking over your left shoulder.
Lateral Flexion
Looking straight ahead, bend your head to one side, as if you were trying to touch your shoulder with your ear. Hold the stretch for five seconds. Repeat the stretch five times on each side.
Flexion and Extension
Sitting with your spine erect and the top of your head lifted toward the ceiling, roll your chin toward your chest. Hold that position for a few seconds, and then move your head backward so that you are looking at the ceiling. Hold that position for a few seconds and then return your head to the center, looking straight ahead. Repeat this movement five times.
Strengthening
Isometric exercises are used to strengthen muscles. The muscle contracts but there is no movement. To strengthen your neck, you will do the same exercises you did to stretch the neck but with resistance from your hand so that the muscles contract but you don't actually move. After you do these strengthening exercises, loosen your muscles by rolling your shoulders and squeezing your shoulder blades together in the back.
Rotation
Place your right hand on your right cheek. Move your eyes to the right and contract your neck muscles as if you were going to look over your shoulder. Resist the movement with your hand. Hold the pressure for five seconds and then relax. Repeat five times on each side.
Lateral
Looking straight ahead, with your right hand on your right cheek, contract your neck muscles as if you were going to touch your ear to your shoulder. Resist with your hand. Hold the contraction for five seconds. Repeat five times on each side.
Flexion and Extension Muscles
Looking straight ahead, with your hand on your forehead, contract your neck muscles as if you were going to drop your chin to your chest. Resist with your hand. Hold the contraction for five seconds. Repeat the exercise five times.
Looking straight ahead, with your hands on the back of your head, tighten your neck muscles as if you were going to look at the ceiling. Resist with your hands. Hold the contraction for five seconds. Repeat the exercise five times.
References
- University of Queensland; Whiplash Injury Recovery; Gwendolen Jull
- SportsInjuryClinic.net: Whiplash Exercises
- The Physiotherapy Site; Exercises for Recovery from Whiplash Injury; Jonathan Blood-Smyth
- "Emergency Medicine Journal"; Randomised, Controlled Outcome Study of Active Mobilisation Compared With Collar Therapy for Whiplash Injury; M. Schnabel, et al.; July 2009
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