Posts Tagged ‘Range Of Motion’

The number of whiplash injury accidents always seem to increase during the winter months when the streetsoften become icier and the drivers seemingly less careful .

You’re driving your vehicle– then BAM!   Now that you’ve been rear-ended you make a quick personal assessment, you seem fine … or are you?

Although you may feel okay , you may have received a serious injury called whiplash… a tender and very deceiving injury.  Whiplash damage happens when your neck is forced back and forth beyond its natural range of motion. The neck is especially vulnerable to this type of injury because of its ability to rotate in so many directions.

What’s interesting is that your vehicle didn’t even have to be moving very fast , as a whiplash injury can, and does happen at speeds as low as 5 mph.

There may or may not be initial pain brought on by the accident .  However, it is not uncommon for symptoms to develop over several hours, weeks, or even months. Therein lies the illusion of a whiplash injury.

Whiplash And Neck Pain

Your neck has many muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerve endings. Whiplash can harm one, two, or all these vulnerable component parts.

Although whiplash is most often the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can happen in several other situations like sporting activities such as football, gymnastics and many contact sports.

The neck may not be the only affected area as whiplash can often manifest itself in other areas such as the upper back, shoulders and arms.  Most often , a whiplash victim will suffer from neck pain, headaches, numbness and tingling sensations, spasms and stiffness of muscles.

Chiropractic Care And Whiplash Recovery

Even if you don’t have any obvious or immediate symptoms after an accident,you should find a chiropractor who specializes in car accident recovery as soon as possible.  Only then can an assessment of the severity and recovery of whiplash injury be made.

A chiropractor will conduct an initial exam to assess the extent of injury which may include x-rays.  If the injury is determined whiplash related, a Chiropractor can initiate a number of treatments to restore strength, function and mobility to the injured areas.

Your Chiropractor will begin a treatment plan that will not only help relieve pain and restore strength to injured areas but can also show you how to add additional exercises and stretches to aid in the healing process.

Fortunately, with time, the majority of people with whiplash injury fully recover… many within a few weeks.  However, some patients may have symptoms for longer periods.  Your age, sex , and present physical condition can have a major effect on the severity and length of symptoms.

The good news is that research has shown that chiropractic has been a very effective approach to healing whiplash.

How To Prevent Whiplash Injury

There are steps you can take to minimize the risks of whiplash.  Whenever you operate a vehicle, always make sure your seats are in an upright position with the seat headrest positioned properly and that seat belts are worn correctly on every ride.

If you take part in sports , especially contact sports, make sure you wear appropriate and proper fitting equipment.

If you or someone you know have received a whiplash injury or is experiencing neck or upper back pain, just know that chiropractic care is more than just making the pain disappear .  It’s about helping you really recover from your injuries so that you can enjoy a pain free life again.

Are you looking for abdominal exercises that can produce lasting results? The problem with most ab exercises is that they are repetitious and only seem to result in small improvements over time. But applying the right techniques can have your abs looking their best in only six weeks.

Which ab exercises work the best for achieving strong abdominal muscles? Well, there are a variety of techniques that effective for improving the durability and look of your abdominal muscles. The best exercises are those that simultaneously wok both your upper and lower ab muscles. This is called full range of motion and allows you to work deep into your abdominal muscles.

Exercises that utilize both top and bottom ab muscles allow for maximum impact. To eliminate fatigue, focus on just a few repetitions and sets. Over time you can increase the frequency of reps performed in order to further tone your abdominal muscles. Always focus on exercises that use a full range of motion to reshape your muscles.

I prefer to use two abdominal exercises that permit a full range of motion, maximizing your chaces to get rid of abdominal fat. The first exercise that I use on a daily basis is called the hanging leg raise. This exercise is easy to do and it only requires a few repetitions to start working deep into your abdominal muscles. To start , locate a chin up bar which can be found at any gym or purchased online.

Hanging leg raises can be done in the following manner. Begin by hanging from the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and hanging in a relaxed fashion. Slowly raise your knees upward above your waist and to your chest. Once you knees have been raised, lower them in a slow, intentional manner, back to the starting position.

The second full range exercise for your abs is a modified crunch. To do this exercise effectively, lie on the floor with your knees raised. Clasp your hands behind your neck and being your rep by lifting your right elbow towards your left knee. After returning to the starting position, raise your left elbow to your right knee. This completes one repetition. Continue on until a full set of ten has been completed.

Any exercise that utilizes the upper and lower abdominal muscles can give your lasting results. Both exercises, modified crunches and hanging leg raises, have proved effective in generating strong abdominal muscles. With a full range of motion, you are challenging your muscles to harden and protect against damage. If you want to dramatically improve the tone of your abdominal muscles, use these exercises combined with a high fiber diet and low in saturated fat.