Less Common Causes of Whiplash
Less Common Causes of Whiplash
Although most of us associate whiplash injury with a road traffic accident, there are other causes of whiplash, many of which are much less known.
What Is Whiplash?
Basically a whiplash injury is any injury that results in the head (and specifically the neck) suddenly being jolted at high speed, backwards and forwards. This causes some of the muscles, soft tissue and ligaments to be stretched much more than they would be normally. The most common cause is indeed a road traffic accident where a car is hit by another from the rear, but there are occasions when whiplash can result from an accident where a driver or passenger is hit from either the front or even the side.
Less Common Causes Of Whiplash Injury
Horse riding can cause whiplash. Many people are unaware of this because they think that the helmet will protect the rider, but in fact, when someone is thrown from a horse, or the horse suddenly rears up, the neck can be thrown both backwards and forwards and even to the side, as well as back and forth. The end result is whiplash.
Similarly, falling from a cycle or being knocked by a car can cause whiplash, even if the rider is wearing a helmet. The effect of being knocked or falling off the bike is the same as being thrown from a horse; the head is protected, but not the neck.
Skiing can also cause whiplash, if a person falls badly and the neck is thrown at speed.
Sports activities are another cause of whiplash, with rugby and football being the main offenders, although hockey can also result in some nasty falls. Diving, especially if the dive is poorly executed can also ‘throw’ the neck, resulting in whiplash.
Even slipping, tripping or falling anywhere can result in whiplash, because even a minor slip, trip or fall can actually happen very quickly and it is the combination of speed, along with the neck being ‘thrown around’ that will mean the person can experience whiplash.
So if you find that you have a feeling of pain and stiffness in the neck that develops after you have had some kind of episode where you fell, were thrown from a horse, bike, subject to a severe rugby tackle etc, then it could well be that you have a whiplash injury.
Often people find that the pain does not start until a few hours after the incident and it can be worse the next day. Movement within the neck may also be quite restricted and there may be some pain in the shoulder area or even in the arms. Some people also experience dizziness and blurred vision, but these symptoms do not last very long.
The important thing to recognise is that if you have had a bump, fall or been participating in very rigorous sports and then develop these aches and pains, it is then you may indeed have whiplash and the injury needs to be looked at and expert guidance sought; the quicker medical treatment is implemented, the quicker the recovery time will be!
