I recently received a phone call from a client who had been diagnosed with whiplash by her physician. Her main concern was whether or not she could still come in for her regular massage therapy appointments, and whether or not massage therapy and bodywork would help with her condition.
Massage is contraindicated for Whiplash during the acute phase to allow healing to begin. However, in the sub-acute phase, massage may be very helpful in the healing and treatment of soft tissue. The Massage Therapist should respect splinting, and may need to work with the Physical Therapist or Chiropractor as a team throughout the process of recovery. For patients who are taking NSAIDS for pain relief, the Massage Therapist should take a very conservative approach to prevent over-treatment, because tissue response will be altered by these drugs. It is best to do Massage Therapy when these drugs are at their lowest level in the body.
Massage Therapy is very beneficial in treating the symptoms of Whiplash, and in helping recover from it. Massage helps to restore range of motion, eliminate swelling, reduce headaches, and improves muscle strength, tone and endurance. During the healing phase, the body forms connective tissue. Massage helps encourage the body to form such tissue correctly, while also lowering muscle tension around the injury site. This may potentially result in the body needing to produce less connective tissue for healing, in turn allowing a better range of motion. As stated above, massage therapy is contraindicated in the acute phase of Whiplash. This generally lasts approximately 72 hours after the injury.
Corey Proffitt, LMT, NCTMB
http://www.relaxyoudeserveit.com/
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