A Chiropractor Advises on How Best to Prevent Whiplash During a Car Accident

Whiplash can be debilitating for some sufferers, and it usually requires treatment from a chiropractor due to the sensitivity of the affected area of the body. While it is good that there’s an option for treating whiplash pain, it is important to know what you can do to reduce the likelihood of an injury occurring in the first place. Here are some tips from an experienced chiropractor that you can follow.

How Can I Prevent Whiplash?

There is no one answer to this question, however, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of suffering a serious injury to your neck and spine during an accident. The most effective measure is to buy a car that has a highly-rated head restraint. Many modern cars have a host of safety features to protect you during side and front impacts, but it’s in rear-end collisions where your neck and spine are at the highest risk. Buying a car with a highly-rated head restraint will lessen the potential injuries from a rear-end collision.

Adjust Your Head Restraint

Unfortunately, many drivers and passengers have not adjusted their head restraints properly. Not having your head restraint in the correct position makes it an almost redundant safety feature, as it will not be performing its job correctly.

First, you need to ensure that your seat is at an angle of less than 20 degrees. This is because sitting in a minimally inclined seat will help keep you in the seat should you be in a collision. Next, you need to adjust your head restraint. The correct position is to have the top of the head restraint in line with, or slightly above, the top of your head. You then need to place the head restraint as close to the rear of your head as possible. This is because, during an accident, your head has less distance to travel, therefore stopping your neck from snapping back.

What to do After an Accident

While there are things you can do to reduce whiplash, it is still important to seek the proper medical care if you are in an accident. The most common treatment for whiplash injuries is chiropractic services, and it is always advisable to have your spine and neck checked out, even if you aren’t feeling any pain. There could be an underlying issue that a chiropractor will be able to find during an assessment.

Although medication can help with pain relief after an accident, it’s always best to make an appointment with your chiropractor for safe and successful whiplash relief.

Sources:
How to Adjust Your Head Restraint, ROSPA.com
How Can I Prevent Whiplash? Whiplashprevention.org

Dr. Darren Faherty D.C.

In 2004, Dr. Darren Faherty graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology from UWEC - University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Dr. Darren continued education at the highly esteemed University of Western States (formerly Western States Chiropractic College) where he obtained his chiropractic degree in 2007. He has been helping people recover from injuries and return to their normal lifestyles ever since.