Whiplash....

What Is It? Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues in the neck including ligaments, joint capsules, muscles and their tendons, and intervertebral disks. It can also involve the nervous system tissues in more severe cases, resulting in radiating arm pain.

How does it happen? During a car crash, most commonly a rear-end collision. The sudden jolt occurs so fast we cannot brace ourselves adequately and the head accelerates back and forth beyond the limits of the ligaments that hold our bones firmly together (often referred to as a “sprain”). Because of the significant range of motion of the neck, the weight of the head, and how is suspended on the neck, the neck is particularly vulnerable to this type of injury (more commonly worse in woman due to a more slender neck).

What are the symptoms? The primary symptom is neck or upper back pain that may develop immediately or be delayed days, weeks, and sometimes months. A partial list of possible symptoms (each injured person’s symptoms are different) include: muscles spasms, loss of movement, headache, dizziness, concentration &/or memory loss, difficulty swallowing, chewing &/or hoarseness, burning or tingling, shoulder/arm/hand radiating pain, and more.

How is it diagnosed? Even when symptoms do not seem significant, a health care provider can diagnose the condition by taking a careful history and performing a physical exam. X-rays showing a change in the curvature or contour of the neck, &/or MRI or CT scan to better assess the disk and nerve roots when pain radiates down an arm may also be indicated. When persistent concentration/memory loss is present, a consult by a neuropsychologist is helpful.

How is it treated? In most cases, non-surgical methods are usually appropriate. If you go to a medical doctor, typical approaches include a wait & watch approach and/or medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers, &/or muscle relaxants. MD’s may refer the patient to physical therapy. When these methods fail, referral to a physiatrist may result in injection therapy (epidural steroid, facet injection, trigger point injections). Chiropractic care includes spinal manipulation, mobilization, soft tissue release techniques, exercise training, activity modification training, and physical therapy modality use (electrical stimulation, traction, ultrasound, low level laser therapy – LLLT, TENS unit). Care may also include a mix of provider approaches, when appropriate.

How can it be prevented? The degree of severity of whiplash can be decreased or maybe avoided completely with the following: the use of seatbelts (especially in high speed collisions), placing the headrest close to the head (< 1 inch) and high enough to avoid “ramping” over it. Placing the seat back more vertical/upright can minimize ramping. Do not partake in distractive activities while driving – cell phone use, adjusting the radio, taking your eyes off the road (eye contact during conversation), dosing off, reading a book (this is more common than you think!), and others. Bracing yourself has not been shown to be very helpful – whiplash happens too quickly to voluntarily brace your neck muscles. For athletes, wear appropriate protective gear when engaging in sporting activities and use proper form / technique during the athletic activity.

Important to know! Chiropractors have a unique advantage over other health care providers as spinal manipulation and other manual therapies have been shown to yield the highest levels of satisfaction and faster recovery rates compared to other forms of health care. If you, a loved one, or a friend is struggling with whiplash residuals from a motor vehicle collision, you can depend on receiving a multi-dimensional assessment and therapeutic approach at this office

Why not get checked out?

When your have a car accident and you take your broken car to the auto-shop what happens?

Does the mechanic just put a fresh coat of paint over the scratches as if applying a band aid to a surface wound? Do  they bang out any noticeable dents to the exterior, reattach a fallen bumper or fix a broken headlight.

The answer is – No.

They keep your car for a few days and give it a full examination. They put it up on lifts to see the underbelly. They pop the hood and check out the engine. They check the tires, and paneling. They may even check the interior; seatbelts, steering consol, seats.

They are making sure the body and skeleton of the car it safe.

What would happen if they didn’t do an extensive check?

One of the main parts of the car that makes it drivable is the suspension. Even if you’ve only been in a small ‘fender bender’ a mechanic will check this out.

Consider your body a car, and your skeleton your suspension. What would happen if you were pushed from behind. You fell forward and hit your head. The only visible injuries you sustained is a bump on your forehead. However, your back, neck and shoulders where you bore the most impact, ache.

Would you expect your doctor to just give you an ice pack for your bump? Would you want your back and neck checked out too? Visibly the rest of your body looks just fine, however, internally, things are not so.

Just as a mechanic does a full check of your car, a doctor should do a full check of your body. That is why our doctors at Injury Relief Chiropractic will make sure to fully check your spine out.  If your suspension is damaged, your body wont run the way it should.

CoQ10

If you're overweight, have hypertension, or have diabetes there is a good likelihood that you've been put on what is known as a statin class of drug. Statins are a type of effective cholesterol lowering drug that lowers cholesterol points and can moderately increase the ‘good ‘ cholesterol. While statins can do nice things to enhance cholesterol and effectively lengthen your life, they can have severe complications.
Many individuals who've been prescribed statins also reported harsh muscle pain which presents as aching and weakness which customarily affects both sides of the body and more than one grouping of muscles. Simply prescribing more drugs to manage the pain may cause more side effects and easily lead directly to a draining obsession as they often require higher levels to achieve any relief. Contemporary studies nonetheless , have shown that Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, can offer serious relief in addition to other favourable effects without the difficulties presented by drugs.
CoQ10 is a vitamin like substance called a benzoquinone that is present in numerous cells and is an element of the electron transport chain. CoQ10 is soluble and comes in a power form or inside a gel capsule and is best taken with a meal. CoQ10 has been utilized during the past to lower the risk of heart problems, lessen the frequency of migraines, increasing energy by acting as an antioxidising agent and lower blood pressure.
In addition, latest studies have shown that statins may cut back the amount of CoQ10 in the body and that bolstering extra CoQ10 can halt or improve the muscle agony. It can offer the same relief found in drugs minus the dependency and difficult side-effects. CoQ10 helps to produce cell’s energy currency called ATP. When ATP is reduced, the result can be muscle weakness and agony. A study revealed in 2009 in the Book of Drugstore and Pharmacology showed clearly that a study on lab animals provided significant results in pain reduction while further studies on humans have also showed significant results.
Some cancer patients have even said that CoQ10 reduced muscle agony related to their treatments. While the studies are new and can't be called decisive, there's enough evidence to support the theory that rocketing the levels of CoQ10 in patients that suffer from discomfort related to statin drugs can fix the inequality of the enzyme and significantly reduce symptoms.

Importance of Stretching

When we think of the way to ensure physical fitness and health, we often think of exercise and regular scheduled checks. We might also think about various types of alternate medication to treat any wounds, sicknesses or abnormalities. Stretching is a crucial element of overall health that is often forgotten before and after exercise and something which has found its way into alternate medical practices. The advantages of stretching are far reaching and can be used to prevent injury if used correctly and when used in conjunction with different types of care, can even help to correct injuries and ailments.
When the body is stretched correctly and both before and after exercise, it can help cut back the possibility of injury. One of the strategies that wounds frequently occur is when a muscle or joint is stiff and all of a sudden propelled into action. When you stretch, the muscle is gradually loosened and prepared for action. Stretching also increases the flow of liquid to the joints which can help in preventing the cartilage from drying out and becoming subject to fissures and injury.
It is important to stretch for ten to 15 minutes prior to beginning activity and to stretch for a few minutes after your cool down in order to ease muscles back into a more stationary state of being. Stretching a cold muscle nonetheless , can also do damage so it's best to jog in place or take a short walk to heat up the muscle before beginning the stretch. It is very important that the stretch is steady and to avoid bouncing or competing the muscle so as to try and speed the stretching process along. Ensure also to stop overstretching any muscle which has already been strained.
Another benefit to stretching is that it can help to properly align the body and so promote better overall health. Many forms of alternate care like chiropractic care, acupuncture and massage believe that the body should be looked at as a whole and that is the center of the body, the backbone is out of alignment, then all of the parts can be affected. Misalignment in the backbone is typically caused by shortened or stiff muscles that have pulled the joints out of kilter. Regular stretching ensures that those muscles stay pliant and relieves the discs of some of the pressure they experience from daily life activities.
There are numerous different ways to stretch the backbone, including lying flat on the floor and stretching your legs and arms in opposite directions. You can then slowly pull each knee to the chest, stretching out the muscles in your lower back. After releasing the legs back down, you can support the neck and slowly lean in forward, off the ground. If you are at work and cannot utilize the floor, do variances of these stretches while standing up and stretching every few hours.
Taking the few minutes to correctly stretch your body either before exercise or in your daily life can prevent injury and even help to alleviate any existing Problems. Stretching is crucial to overall health and can be done at any fitness level and by even the busiest of people.

Back Pain?

Do you know someone suffering from low back pain? Each year there are 31 million Americans that experience lumbar pain. Lower back pain is a really common incident in today’s society. Busier, stressful day-to-day lives, fewer exercise and poorer eating habits tend to be held responsible. Some approximations of people living with a unbearable occurrence of back pain at least once in their lifetime are as high as 85%. As outlined by a study conducted by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) in beginning of 2001, 43% of individuals seen by a doctor of chiropractic were treated for lumbar pain.
Chiropractic care is ideal for minimizing discomfort, yet it’s also perfect for prohibition of future issues. Chiropractic could be a lot like seeing the dental professional to have your teeth checked and cleaned on a regular basis. Protection against disc injury is definitely much better than rehab and recuperation. Chiropractic can also help prevent disc damage by having a heightened range of flexibility to a joint via manipulation to the spine. This specific surge in range of flexion helps stop scar tissue and calcium deposits from building round the joint. The muscles are able to move through out an improved range of motion at the same time after manipulation to the spine.
There are various things an individual can do in order to help decrease lower back pain, as listed herein: Proper hydration: Water is approximately 60-65% of the normal adult body make up. The intervertebral discs between the spinal bones are mainly water. These discs are under huge amounts of strain when we are upright. They support our body mass, and additionally act as a hinge for two spinal vertebrae to move as a joint together. If a person is not properly hydrated it is affecting the flexibility and pliability of the disc, and its typical capability to operate correctly supporting your body mass.
Maintain optimal body weight: Maintaining a healthy body weight limits the amount of tension and strain on the spinal joints and lower back muscles. Particular lumbar pain situations will be amplified by even slight elevations in bodyweight above the usual. Shedding pounds if you’re carrying a bit extra around the mid-section can produce a remarkable improvement to your back problems and discomfort. Weight loss may have additional advantages too, besides back pain remedies, but usually feeling much better generally, looking better, and also more energy.
Exercising: While lack of exercise is fantastic for the first 24 hours right after injuring your back, long term lack of exercise may actually stiffen those injured muscle tissues and make restoration tougher. Exercise having said that allows you to strengthen the surrounding muscles and helps increase major blood circulation to the injured area which promotes healing and often eliminates the back pain so that it is more bearable. Exercising your back does not necessarily mean lifting weights or running a race. It means delicate workout that can help stretch and strengthen your muscles.
See your chiropractor to have a spine adjustment or realignment: This may prevent back pain but may also be beneficial for individuals who are already battling with back pain or have experienced a back injury. The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to increase the spinal mechanics through motion to boost or sustain function. It can possibly help to reduce inflammation and soreness if the back has already been injured or damaged.

Back Pain? Neck Pain? Arm or Leg Numbness and Tingling? Could be Nerve Irritation!

If you have back stiffness, neck discomfort or maybe leg discomfort, the issue could be originating from nerve irritation. Folk regularly mistakenly blame the muscles for discomfort or numbness in a limb when in fact the issues results from a nerve. Unless the nerve is treated by a trained pro, like a chiropractor, the symptoms will persist as treating only the muscle is treating a spinoff of the nerve irritation in relation to a misalignment or injury of the spine. The main signs of nerve irritation are discomfort, insensibility and tingling. There are two discomfort causes of nerve irritation: trapped nerve fibres and encircled nerves. These are 2 different sorts of wounds and require different strategies to relieve the problem. That is the reason why it's very important to consult a trained chiropractor so as to go about healing the injury safely and permanently.
The trapped nerve is the most common sort of nerve irritation and happens when a nerve exits the spine it can become pinched between 2 bones or maybe compressed by a bulging or otherwise unhealthy disk. Stenosis can also cause pinched nerves which is a bony overgrowth that shrinks the exit canal for spinal nerves. A chiropractor can use the location of the pain or shivering to find the source of the pinching. Pinching in the neck can cause tingling or agony in the shoulders, arms and hands and pinching in the back, like sciatica, can cause pain or tingling in the legs and feet. The commonest chiropractic technique for treating a pinched nerve is tiny manual alterations. Certain types of adjustments will be used dependent on the cause of the trapped nerve.
The trapped nerve is a nerve that has become stuck to surrounding soft tissue such as muscles or ligaments and is mostly the result of repeated motion. So how can this happen? When a repeated motion happens, the rubbing of the nerve against the more delicate tissue can lay down scar tissue and cause the nerve to stick to the tissue. Persistent muscle contraction can also have a similar effect. Both situations deprive the delicate tissue of oxygen and cause the scar tissue to form and the sticking process to worsen.
One thing to notice is that occasionally these wounds can be forming for years before symptoms become agonizing enough to cause concern. Most chiropractors would recommend a technique called Active Release Technique which involves applying precise pressure with a thumb or finger to the site of the adhesion and moving the influenced body part thru a full range of motion.
Because these kinds of nerve irritation can be painful and cause lasting damage it is very important to consult a chiropractor as quickly as symptoms happen and not just presume that the issue originates with the muscle. Nerve irritation can adversely affect your life and relief does exist.

EFFECTS OF WHIPLASH (with pictures)

Injuries from Low Impact Accidents

A low impact auto accident is generally defined as an incident that takes place at speeds less than 10 miles per hour (mph). This type of collision usually causes the least amount of damage to the vehicles involved. Body injuries can result from any accident and that includes ones that occur with vehicles going less than 10 mph. Soft tissue injuries are the most common problem for those involved in a low impact accident.
A motor vehicle accident that takes place at speeds between under 10 mph often brings about little visible damage to the cars involved. Sometimes due to the fact that minimal damage was done to vehicle the injuries to the people in the vehicles are overlooked. This does not mean that bodily injury did not occur to the passengers during the crash.
While an automobile is built to take a slow 5 to 10 mph crash that is not necessarily true for your body. In a low impact accident a person’s soft tissue can be damaged.The back and neck are the usual problem spots for soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue is basically a person’s ligaments, tendons and muscles. Soft tissue injuries are typically classified as contusions or bruises, sprains or strains.
A contusion is an injury to the soft tissue caused by blunt force. This force produces pooling of blood around the injury causing discoloring of the skin. This is commonly is referred to as a bruise. Bruising can be found in different shapes and colors.
A sprain is an injury to a ligament often brought about by a wrench or twist. A sprain can be a simple sprain, a partial tear or a complete tear. This can happen to various parts of a person’s body during an accident. It is not uncommon for a person to twist in their seat as a vehicle strikes theirs during the incident.
A strain is an injury to the muscle or tendon caused by overuse, force or stretching. The force of the car crash can push on a person’s soft tissue or cause parts to stretch in an abnormal way.Muscles and tendons support your bones. A strain may cause a partial or complete tear in the muscle and tendon combination.
The neck of a car occupant can whip forward causing the most common rear impact injury known as whiplash. General Motors (GM) did a study regarding crashes at speeds below eight mph. GM found, to no surprise, that injuries do occur at such low speeds. The study also showed that whiplash injuries account for more than half of all injuries connected to vehicular accidents.
Although these types of injuries are characteristically classified as minor nearly 30 percent of those hurt in low speed collisions have reported having neck pain up to three years later. This injury is likely to be worse in those that experienced a rear end collision. Depending on the age of the person this injury could cause a permanent disability.
A motor vehicle can take the force of a low speed collision without showing much damage due to the advances car manufacturers have made in the construction of their vehicles. When a collision does occur the force of the accident pushes inertia somewhere and once the automobile has taken part of that energy away the occupants take the rest. These forces are what can cause people bodily harm even in a crash of below 10 mph.Soft tissue injuries can occur to those involved in a low speed impact and though these injuries might be hard to see they exist.

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What's in an Emergency Kit

What to do after a car crash

Car Crashes
Driving is probably the most dangerous thing most of us will ever do. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, there were more than 5.8 million police-reported traffic crashes in which 37,261 people were killed and more than 2.3 million injured the United States.

Although you do your best to drive responsibly and defensively, it's still smart to know what to do just in case you end up in a collision. Crashes can be very scary, but here are some tips if one happens to you:
Take some deep breaths to get calm. After a crash, a person may feel a wide range of emotions — shock, guilt, fear, nervousness, or anger — all of which are normal. But take a few deep breaths or count to 10 to calm down. The calmer you are, the better prepared you will be to handle the situation. This is the time to take stock of the accident and try to make a judgment about whether it was a serious one.
Keep yourself and others safe. If you can't get out of your car — or it's not safe to try — keep your seat belt fastened, turn on your hazard lights, then call 911 if possible and wait for help to arrive. If you can drive your car and are in an unsafe spot or are blocking traffic, find a safe and legal place to park your car (like the shoulder of a highway or a parking lot). In some states it's illegal to move your car from the scene of an accident, though. Ask your driver's ed instructor what the law is in your state.
If the collision seems to be minor, turn off your car and grab your emergency kit. If it's safe to get out and move around your car, set up orange cones, warning triangles, or emergency flares around the crash site.
 Reporting the Incident. Check on everyone involved in the crash to see if they have any injuries. This includes making sure you don't have any serious injuries. Be extremely cautious — not all injuries can be seen. If you or anyone involved isn't feeling 100%, you should call 911 or any other number your state uses to request emergency assistance on roadways. Be ready to give the dispatcher the following information:

• Who? The dispatcher will ask for your name and phone numbers in case the authorities need to get more information from you later.
• What? Tell the dispatcher as much as you can about the emergency — for instance, whether there is a fire, traffic hazard, medical emergency, etc.
• Where? Let the dispatcher know exactly where the emergency is taking place. Give the city, road name, road number, mile markings, direction of travel, traffic signs, and anything else you can think of to help them know how to find you.

Make sure you stay on the line until the dispatcher says it's OK to hang up.
Sometimes, you can get the police to report to the crash scene even if there are no injuries, especially if you tell them you need someone to mediate — in other words, to help you figure out what happened and who's at fault. But in certain areas, as long as both vehicles can be safely driven away, police officers won't come to the scene unless someone is hurt. If the police do not come to the scene, make sure you file a vehicle incident report at a police station.

Take Down Driver Information

If you are feeling up to it, ask to see the driver's license of the other drivers involved in the crash so that you can take down their license numbers. Also get their name, address, phone number, insurance company, insurance policy number, and license plate number. If the driver doesn't own the car involved, be sure to get owner's info as well.

Take Notes on the Crash

If the crash is minor and you feel that you can describe it, try to do so. Detailed notes and photos of the scene may help the court and insurance agencies decide who is responsible. Get a good description of the cars involved — year, make, model, and color. If your phone has a camera, use that or another camera to take photos of the scene — including the cars and any damage, the roads, any traffic signs, and the direction each car was coming from.
If you feel well enough, try to draw a diagram of the exact crash site and mark where each car was, what direction the car was coming from, and what lane it was in. Also, write down the date, time, and weather conditions. If there were any witnesses, try to get their names and contact info so that they can help clear up matters if one of the other drivers isn't completely honest about what really happened.
Remember, you can only do these things if you think the collision was minor (for instance, if the airbag did not inflate). Even if you think it was your fault, it might not be. That's why insurance companies say that you should not admit fault or accept blame at the scene.

Things To Do Shortly After The Emergency Is Over:

1. Consider Contacting an experienced attorney.  We know that it sounds self-serving, but the sooner you get an experienced attorney involved, the better the odds of getting a fair settlement. The attorney will almost certainly be able to better locate, preserve and protect the relevant evidence and hire experts who can visit the scene before skid marks and other physical evidence disappears. If you do hire an attorney, tell everyone who contacts you about this crash that you can't discuss it with them, and that they should speak to your attorney. Tell them, “I'm looking forward to cooperating with you, but my attorney said not to speak to anyone about this matter unless he's present.” Then give them the attorney's name and telephone number, and politely and apologetically hang up the phone.

2. Promptly take many high quality photographs of all of the physical evidence. A disposable camera is okay if there is no alternative, but, if possible, use a good digital camera set on the highest number of pixels it can take. The physical evidence to be photographed includes, at a minimum: (i) your vehicle, (ii) every other vehicle involved in the crash, (iii) the accident scene, showing skid marks, damaged physical objects such as telephone or streetlight poles, etc. and (iv) photographs of visible injury to you (such as bruises, scars, road rash, etc.) When taking photographs of a vehicle involved in the crash, imagine the vehicle at the center of a clock, facing 12 o'clock. Take pictures showing the whole vehicle while you’re standing a 12 o'clock, then 1 o'clock, then 2 o'clock, etc., all the way around the entire clock. Then go back and take many close-ups of each and every damaged part of the vehicle, as well as the entire interior, again from many different angles. Take at least two or three times as many pictures as you think you will need. Look at the photographs immedi­ate­ly afterwards, on a full-size computer monitor, to make sure that they're not blurry and that the lighting is adequate. (Blurry pictures sometimes seem clear when viewed on the small monitor on the digital camera.) Immediately take more pictures if these did not turn out well. If you're using a camera with film, get the pictures developed immediately and also have them put on CD, to give to your lawyer as a backup.

3. Take steps to preserve all of the physical evidence. There may be very serious consequences for you if you destroy evidence (even innocently, such as if you have photos of it, or just to avoid storage charges) or if you permit someone else to destroy evidence. For instance, there are certain types of claims, such as product liability claims, where it's extremely difficult or impossible to win a suit against the manu­facturer of a defective product if you no longer possess the product. When the evidence is something that you own, you can preserve it by keeping it safe and refusing to give anyone else permission to take it. That may be inconvenient, or interfere with your settlement with the insurance carrier for the person in fault, but if a serious injury has occurred, that’s a small price to pay for protecting your rights. When the evidence is something that someone else owns, you can do your best to preserve it by sending a certified mail, return receipt requested letter to the owner, the owner's insurance company and anyone else involved (such as the police, towing company, storage lot, etc.), advising them that they are in possession of material evidence, and that they should not permit it to be destroyed or modified in any way. If you have not had a chance to photo­graph it yet, in your letter request permission to go photograph it. In an appro­pri­ate case, you may consider offering to buy the evidence for salvage value simply to preserve any potential products liability claims. For instance, if the defendant drove a defective vehicle that burst into flames and caused injury to you, keeping that vehicle available may be crucial to your suit against the vehicle manufacturer. If someone tells you that they are going to destroy important evidence in your claims, you should immediately hire an experienced attorney  to go to court and get a temporary restraining order and an injunction to prevent the evidence from being destroyed.

4. When you go to your doctor, bring a written list of all your specific complaints, no matter how minor or insignificant they may seem to you, and tell the whole truth. Tell the doctor that you brought the list because you were afraid that you would forget some of your symptoms. By giving the doctor all of the pieces of the puzzle, you give the doctor the best chance of making a correct diagnosis, and maximizing your chance of recovery. (By the way, unless they ask, don't mention to your doctor anything about getting a lawyer or filing a claim because unfortunately, many doctors will immediately write you off as a gold-digger or faker, regardless of how serious or significant your injury may be or the fact that you're only trying to obtain just compensation.)

5. Follow your doctor's advice. Don’t think that you know more than they do; you don't. For instance, if the doctor gives you restrictions on how much you can lift, don't try to lift more.

6. Keep every medical appointment unless you have a very good reason for missing it. If you must miss one, be sure to contact the doctor's office in advance as a courtesy to let them know that you'll be unable to keep your appointment, and explain why you can’t be there.

7. Get a bound notebook and use it to keep a written journal of notes to your lawyer, keeping track of everything that happens, including:

• a list of all your physical complaints and problems;
• a list of all medical appointments you had, all tests that were done, etc.
• a description of all the telephone conversations you have (showing the name and phone number of the person you spoke to, which insurance company they were with, who they insured, the date and time of the call, what was said, etc.);
• the dates of each time you missed work because you were physically unable to work, had to go to the doctor, or earned lower wages due to being on "light duty", etc.
• the cost of things you had to pay for that you would not otherwise have had to buy (such as medicines, babysitters, cab fares, etc.)
  8. Get a calendar and use it to keep track of important events, such as your doctor's appointments, days missed from work, plans you had that had to be canceled because of physical problems or doctor's appointments, etc.
  
  9. Get a copy of the police report from the police department. Read it carefully, and if anything is incorrect, promptly bring it to the attention of the reporting officer. If the officer will not fix it, file a supplemental report describing how the report is inaccurate.
  
  10. DO NOT give a recorded statement to anyone. People are sometimes confused by this advice, thinking, “If I'm only going to tell the truth, why shouldn't I give the insurance company a recorded statement?” The truth is that insurance companies don't want a recorded statement from you to honestly figure out who is at fault; they can do that from a conversation with you without recording it. The only reason they want to record your statement is so they can use it in court against you later. They know that no one's memory is perfect and can change somewhat. If I interviewed you today about an accident that happened yesterday, and then interviewed you again a week from today, asking the same questions, you would probably have minor changes in your story, even though you did your best to tell the truth both times. The insurance company is trying to create evidence that your story has changed, solely for the purpose of making you look like a liar. And here's how I prove it to my clients: Instead of refusing to allow them to take a recorded statement from my client, I frequently send the insurance company a letter saying that I will allow them to take a recorded statement from my client, as long as they simultaneously allow me to take a recorded statement from their insured. In all the years I have been doing this, I have never once had an insurance company take me up on that offer. They're not trying to get at the truth. They’re just trying to get as much ammunition as they can to use against you and minimize the value of your claim.

The Aftermath

While the crash itself might be upsetting, dealing with the aftermath can be too. In the hours or days following a collision, some people may still be shaken up. They may be beating themselves up over what happened — especially if they feel the crash was avoidable. Sometimes, people close to those who were involved (like families and best friends) can experience some emotional problems too. These feelings are all normal. Once some time passes, the car is repaired, and the insurance companies are dealt with, most car crashes become mere afterthoughts.
In some cases, though, these feelings can get stronger or last for longer periods of time, keeping a person from living a normal life. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur when a person has experienced a devastating event that injured or threatened to injure someone. Signs of PTSD may show up immediately following the crash, or weeks or even months after.
Not everyone who experiences stress after a trauma has PTSD. But here are some symptoms to look out for:

• avoiding emotions or any reminders of the incident
• constant feelings of anxiousness, crankiness, or anger
• avoiding medical tests or procedures
• constantly reliving the incident in one's mind
• nightmares or trouble sleeping

If you notice any of these symptoms after you've been in a car crash, try talking through the experience with friends or relatives you trust. Discuss what happened, and what you thought, felt, and did during the collision and in the days after. Try to get back into your everyday activities, even if they make you uneasy. If these things don't help, ask your parent or guardian to help you check in with your doctor. 

Biomechanics of Whiplash continued

Why do accident victims suffer so much pain from a low speed accident with relatively little damage to the automobile?  The reasons became clear to orthopedists Stephen Forman and Arthur Croft, who examined the biomechanics of whiplash resulting from a rear-end collision.  Specifically, "[w]hat was discovered was that at 8 mph in a rear impact collision the head and neck were exposed to accelerated forces up to 2^1/2 times that of the vehicle itself, and at higher-speed collision this acceleration force may increase 4 to 10 times."¹  This explains both why drivers in the striking car do not endure injuries of the same intensity as the victims, and why the victims suffer injuries of great magnitude even though the striking car was operating at a low speed.

The following sequence of events the victim's body tolerates during a rear-collision were recorded by Foreman and Croft in their book Whiplash Injuries - The Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration Syndrome.²

Initial Phase:   (0-100 milliseconds)  After 100 milliseconds from impact the shoulder, caught up in the vehicle's acceleration, also accelerates.  At this point the head is not accelerating and instead of moving forward is moving rearward and is moving into extension (pulling or dragging force of a limb) and not flexion (bent).  This results in shear stress and axial stretch in the cervical spine.  If there is a head rest, the extension of the head will continue until it hits the head rest.  If there is no head rests, then the head could extend until there is no more limit to the muscles and ligaments. 

Phase I:           (100-200 milliseconds)  The torso is forced backward into the seat back.  There is an abrupt upward movement of the torso while the head and neck remain fixed and there is a straightening of the cervical, thoracic (middle segment of the vertebra column), and possibly the lumber (lower back) spines.  Because of this, the cervical (upper back) spine becomes compressed and at the end of this phase the head and neck begin to extend.  This also may be a time when there are ruptures of the disc. 

Phase II:          (200-300 milliseconds)  It is during this phase that the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can be injured.  The seat back will now return to its previous position and at this point the torso begins its forward movement and acceleration.  The head is still moving in the opposite direct (extension), and the vehicle is at its peak acceleration.  This all adds to the shear strain of the lower cervical spine.  There is some slack in the lap belt and shoulder restraint system because the torso rises and moves rearward in the seat.  This will cause the foot to be drawn away from the brake pedal which may cause the vehicle to accelerate.  By the end of this phase both the torso and vehicle will be at their peak acceleration, while the head is just beginning is acceleration phase.

Phase III:        (300-400 milliseconds)  During this phase the head and the torso are at peak acceleration, while the vehicle's acceleration is decreasing.  If there is any slack left in the restraint system, then this will permit some more forward movement of the torso, pelvis, and head, increasing the potential for injury.  Foreman and Croft feel that at this phase there will be reapplied pressure to the break (if it was lost during Phase II), and therefore increase the deceleration process, causing greater flexion rotation forces in the neck and cervical spine. 

Phase IV:        (400-600 milliseconds)  The vehicle is no longer accelerating, while the head and neck are at full deceleration.  The torso may be abruptly restrained from the shoulder harness, but the head continues to decelerate unrestrained in a forward arc and this acute and violent bending may be responsible for much of the ligament and muscular soft tissue injury.

Biomechanics of Whiplash

After an automobile accident, neck and back pain is a common consequence of whiplash injury.  Unfortunately, the pain a person feels after whiplash is a source of contention because critics do not recognize that an injury to the neck and back can occur in a whiplash accident.  Specifically, although clinical indications of whiplash are widely identified, the understanding of the underlying injury mechanism is poor.¹  In an effort to dispel this controversy, and to gain information, scientist have studied the motion of the body (kinematics) during traumatic force, such as a car accident, through the use of biomechanical experimentation.    

A review of literature on the biomechanics of whiplash reveals data that substantiates the basis for the common whiplash symptoms (i.e., neck pain, headaches, back pain).  In 2002, Narayan Yoganandan, and others, published an analysis of Biomechanics of Whiplash Injuries using an experimental model.²  The results of this study demonstrated that the varying movements, during a simulated auto collision, between the head, neck, and spine, showed that they could be correlated with headaches and neck pain.  "The [movement] of the soft tissue related structures explain the mechanism of these common whiplash associated disorders."³

¹M. M. Panjabi, et al., Biomechanics of Whiplash Injury, Der Orthopade (Springer-Verlag 1998). 

2Narayan Yoganandam, et al., Biomechanical Analysis of Whiplash Injuries, 34 Accident Analysis & Prevention 663-71 (Sept. 2002).  

3Id.