Whiplash Injury

Pain in the neck, shoulders, head or the base of the skull that occurs after a motor vehicle accident is often called 'Whiplash' Most people with whiplash recover in a few weeks or at most, a few months, but 15 to 20% of people develop chronic pain. Whiplash is not a trivial problem, because once it has occurred, only 70% have recovered completely by one year and only 82% have recovered completely by two years. In addition to neck pain, there are many symptoms associated with the whiplash syndrome and include sleep problems, poor concentration and memory, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and weakness.

The treatment for whiplash syndromes depends on the stage and degree of the problem and which structures have been injured. In addition to soft tissue injury, pain that persists after four to six months is usually due to injury to the facet joints, one or more discs, or both. The diagnosis can usually be made by injections, MRI, and X-rays. Treatment is usually successful, but requires physical therapy, injections, and occasionally surgery. The term, whiplash, is confusing because it is both a mechanism of injury and the symptoms caused by a car accident. It is due to a traumatic event that causes the head to move suddenly ('whip') in one direction and then recoil in the other direction. The most common cause of whiplash is a motor vehicle accident in which one vehicle is struck from behind by another. However, it can occur when a car stops abruptly after striking a pole, a wall, or another car, and can also occur after a side impact. Significant damage to ligaments, discs, and joints can occur even if the swings of extension and flexion are not excessive, but often the neck is forced to the extreme ends of normal range or beyond. Because the trauma is usually sudden, occupants of the car are not prepared for the impact. The muscles are relaxed, which allows more forces on the discs, ligaments and joints. Perhaps the most important fact about whiplash is that significant pain and structural damage can occur at crashes of low velocity.
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Ankle Injury

Of all the joints in the body, none is as complex as the ankle. Its intricate structure of bones, tendons, and ligaments is under the control of an equally complex group of muscles. The variety of movements performed by the ankle subject it to forces of a magnitude far out of proportion to its size. It is little wonder that ankle injuries are the most common of all Slip, Trip or Fall injuries.

When the ligaments that stabilize the ankle are overstretched or torn, the result is a sprained ankle. Inversion sprains are by far the most common type. These occur when the foot abruptly turns inward, putting tremendous stress on the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. Eversion sprains, with stretching of the inside ligaments when the foot turns outward, are much less common. Mild sprains, in which the ligaments are stretched only slightly beyond their normal limits, usually require minimal attention - if the pain and swelling are so mild as to permit normal weight bearing. More severe sprains are quickly evident, with marked swelling, sharp pain, and evidence of bleeding under the skin. The worst sprain is one producing a complete tear of the ligament, putting the joint completely out of commission. Sometimes what appears to be an ankle sprain is really a fractured bone. This can be of either the end of one of the long bones of the lower leg, the fibula, or a fracture of one of the bones of the foot. Thus, care must be taken with an injured ankle to make sure exactly what is injured.

The symptoms of an ankle sprain are pain, tenderness, and swelling, usually occurring within the first few minutes of the injury. Sprains are graded as mild (the ligament is strained or overly stretched), moderate (partially torn ligament), or severe (a complete tear, meaning that the ligament can no longer control the ankle joint). If the swelling and pain are slight and you can put weight on the ankle, the sprain is mild and you may not need medical attention. If you heard a popping sound when you sprained your ankle, if the ankle looks abnormally bent, and/or if the swelling is severe and the skin discolored, you should suspect a severe sprain or even a fracture and see a doctor or go the emergency room as soon as possible. Not all sprained ankles need to have x-rays to determine the nature of the injury. This depends upon the symptoms and signs as determined by your doctor or other health professional.

Most sprains heal without complications, although the risk of subsequent sprains increases because of weakened and less flexible ligaments. About ten days is required for healing of a minor sprain, but full motion in the joint takes longer. Rehabilitation includes special exercises to help reduce swelling, prevent stiffness and regain flexibility, and regain strength. It is best to refrain from returning to full activity before complete healing of the ankle has occurred in order to avoid reinjury and possible complications. A moderate ankle sprain may require 3 to 6 weeks of rehabilitation before the area is fully healed, and a severe ankle sprain can take 8 to 12 months.
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Back Injury

Whether it's dull and annoying or screaming for attention, back pain can make it hard to concentrate on your job. Many occupations, such as Nursing, Construction or Factory work, place significant demands on your back. Even routine office work can worsen back pain if you fall into risky habits. But you can avoid back pain and injuries by paying attention to what causes them and focusing on prevention.

Doctors and scientists aren't sure about all of the causes of Back Injury. In fact, most back problems are probably the result of a combination of factors. Some factors, such as family history, aren't preventable. Other factors, such as weight, fitness and flexibility, can be controlled by changing your lifestyle. Still other factors are work related, and you may or may not be able to modify these to prevent personal injury.

Four Work-Related factors are associated with increased risk of Back Injury:

Force. Exerting too much force on your back may cause injury. If your job is physical in nature, you might face injury if you frequently lift or move heavy objects.

Repetition. Repetition refers to the number of times you perform a certain movement. Overly repetitious tasks can lead to muscle fatigue or injury, particularly if they involve stretching to the end of your range of motion or awkward body positioning.

Posture. Posture refers to your position when sitting, standing or performing a task. If, for instance, you spend most of your time in front of a computer, you may experience occasional aches and pains from sitting still for extended periods of time. On average, your body can tolerate being in one position for about 20 minutes before you feel the need to adjust.

Stress. Pressures at work or at home not only ratchet up your stress level but can lead to muscle tension and tightness, which may in turn lead to back pain.
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Knee Injury

Persons who fall down or are in car accidents often do not feel pain in their knee until the next day. Knee injury from car accident incidents is a common injury that is sustained as a result of a vehicle collision. Knee injury from car accident incidents occurs with a sudden violent exterior impact to the knee or a severe twisting or hyperextension of the leg that results in trauma to the knee. In car accidents, a victim's knee can hit some internal portion of the vehicle upon impact with another object or in rollover accidents. Knee injury from car accident injuries can result from sudden impact between the knee and the vehicle's dashboard, door, window, and even roof.

The most common type of knee injury from car accident incidents is an ACL injury, or damage to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. This type of injury accounts for seventy percent of all knee injuries and is most common in high-impact sports such as football and basketball. ACL knee injury from car accident incidents occurs when the knee joint is forced into extreme torsion causing the ACL to stretch or tear. The severity of these types of injuries varies depending on the extent of ACL damage. The ACL can tear resulting in mild pain without joint instability, or a complete rupture can occur between the ligament and the bone resulting in severe disability and complete loss of joint stability.

ACL knee injury from car accident incidents can be very painful and debilitating. Victims may not be able to use the affected leg for an extended period of time. ACL knee injury from car accident incidents is diagnosed through the use of x-rays. An extended healing time with supportive braces and other medical rehabilitative techniques must be employed after knee injury from car accident incidents.

Another less common type of knee injury from car accident incidents is injury to the MCL or Medial Collateral Ligament. This type of knee injury from car accident incidents occurs less often but is sustained more easily if the impact in an accident damages these ligaments. The MCL is located on the inner side of the knee area but outside the knee joint. The LCL, or Lateral Collateral Ligament, can also be damaged in knee injury from car accident incidents. Victims who have suffered an MCL or LCL knee injury from car accident incidents may hear and feel a pop in the affected knee. The symptoms and treatment of these knee injuries closely resemble those of an ACL injury.
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