Whiplash Associated Disorders: therapeutic exercise
Tommaso Pagnanelli
Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) represent a variety of symptoms that arise following a traumatic event and involve the cervical spine. They are often caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck most often as a result of a traffic accident: "whiplash." WADs result in a significant reduction in ADLs and generate a significant increase in health and social welfare costs. They are an issue that tends to become chronic very easily, characterized by neck stiffness, nausea and dizziness, headaches and paresthesias in the upper quadrant or arm. The Quebec Task Force (QFT) represents the most widely used model for describing this condition, allowing a common, codified language to be used. The guidelines recommend educating and reassuring the patient, controlling pain, emphasizing active living and therapeutic exercise. The article proposes a series of therapeutic exercises useful for mobilizing the cervical spine and shoulder and strengthening the neck.