Whiplash occurs when a person’s body moves very suddenly in one direction immediately followed by the opposite direction and is a very common musculoskeletal injury. It usually occurs during a collision, the sudden movement stretches the soft tissue beyond their normal range, which is how the injury occurs.

You might not realise you have whiplash immediately after the injury as it can sometimes take 24 hours or even a few days for symptoms to appear. This happens due to the body’s response to shock; your body will have produced adrenaline and other hormones to delay the onset of pain.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?

There are a number of ways physiotherapy can help with whiplash. After a thorough initial assessment our physiotherapists will recommend a series of exercises and movements to help alleviate pain, any tenderness and to help you regain movement. Our physiotherapists will take into account your lifestyle and current level of movement and recommend exercises based on your personal circumstances.

How Long Does it Take to Recover From Whiplash?

Most whiplash symptoms will have gone 6-12 months after the injury, but physiotherapy early on can speed up the process and ensure that the recovery is complete, and you won’t have reoccurring symptoms.

To ensure a speedy recovery, sticking to your physiotherapy treatment is a must but we understand this might be difficult. If you’re struggling to stick to your treatment plan have a look at our guide for sticking with your treatment plan.