Sprain and Strain of the Neck
Definition:
An injury to the neck when the joint is carried through a range of motion greater than normal, but without dilocation or fracture; an injury resulting from tensile force
Symptoms- Pain in the neck
- Decreased range of motion in the neck
- Tightness in the neck
- The muscles may feel hard or knotted
- Pain when rocking your head from side to side or backward and forward
- Tenderness with palpation to neck muscles
- Headaches at the base of the skull that radiate towards the forehead
Causes- Direct blow
- Motor vehicle accident
- Too much time in an awkward position (hunched over a steering wheel while driving, hunched forward to view a computer monitor, or cradling a phone in the crook of the neck)
- Sleeping in a position that strains the neck
- Carrying a heavy something heavy on one side of the body
- Any form of trauma that impacts the neck, such as from whiplash in a car accident, or from a fall in which one lands on the top of the head
Treatment- ROM and stretching
- Massage therapy
- Posture program
- Upper extremity strengthening
Sprain and Strain of the Neck Phase I
- Prone Cervical Rotation R L
- Cervical Levator Scap Stretch
- Foam Wedge In Flexion
- Sitting Posture
- Standing Posture
- Prone Thoracic Extension
- Neck Support For Pillow
Sprain and Strain of the Neck Phase II
- Thoracic Stretch 1
- Wall Slides
- Chin Tucks
- Neck Circuit
- Curl Press
- Push Up Hold Top
- Hummers
