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That
Little Fender Bender Is More Than You Think
By
Victoria L. Magown, CMTPT, LMT and George S. Pellegrino, LMT, CMTPT
"I was
only going five miles per hour, how could I be in so much pain?" How
often have you heard someone say this or something similar following a
fender bender? At MyoRehab, we frequently hear this from quite a few of
our patients who have been in a car accident they thought was of little
or no consequence.
Pauline
was referred to MyoRehab by her chiropractor. Her car was rear ended and
pushed into the car in front of her. Both impacts were at five to ten
mph. Studies show that low speed impacts can cause substantial injury to
the neck. During impact the head is whipped causing significant damage
to the muscles and other soft tissue components.
Pauline
was suffering with moderate to severe neck pain and headaches as well as
upper back and shoulder pain. Since a seatbelt only restrains the
driver's left shoulder, the right shoulder is allowed to whip forward
with the head. This causes the torso to twist facing left while the head
remains facing forward. The impact of the lap portion of the seatbelt
produces myofascial trigger points in the abdomen and chest triggering
pain and stiffness.
A
myofascial trigger point is a hypersensitive spot in a muscle that when
stimulated, usually produces pain referred in a predictable pattern away
from the trigger point. These points also trigger contractions in
muscles called taut bands. Taut bands cause limited range of motion at
the joints.
Following a review of Pauline’s medical history, range of motion testing
was performed. Several muscles were found to be involved. Among the
primary muscles was the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) in the front of the
neck, the trapezius which attaches at the base of the skull and the
pectoralis major, a large muscle of the chest.
 The SCM
(Illustration A), often referred to as the whiplash muscle, can produce
more than just pain. It can cause dizziness, loss of balance, drooping
eyelid, ringing in the ear and visual disturbances.
The
trapezius (Illustration B) is one of the most notorious producers of
headaches. When the head and right shoulder are whipped forward, trigger
points are develop in the trapezius causing headaches, upper back and
shoulder pain.
After a
MVA, some people have experienced chest pain like a heart attack and
indeed the pectoralis major (Illustration C) can produce such a pain.
It can also trigger pain at the front of the shoulder and down the arm
and into the hand. Since this muscle is under the breast, woman
frequently experience breast tenderness on the involved side.
The
sharp compression by the lap portion of the seatbelt to the abdomen can
cause pain across the back (Illustration D) and other phenomenon not
usually associated with a MVA. These can include constipation and
diarrhea and disruption of the menstrual period in women. Some people
experience acid reflux, attributing this to eating spicy food, when in
fact, this can be another symptom of a seatbelt injury to the abdominal
muscles.
When we
treated Pauline's SCM, trapezius, pectoralis major, and other involved
upper body and neck muscles, her pain significantly decreased. Also,
Pauline's menstrual cycle returned to normal after treatment of the
abdominal muscles. Her home exercise program was tailored to keep the
release obtained during treatment and retrain the muscles to stay at
their full resting length and pain free.
Together, Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy combined with chiropractic
care and Pauline's diligence to her home exercise program, created an
integrated therapeutic approach that produced excellent results.
Pauline found out that her “little fender
bender” was more than she thought it was. Are you are suffering with
headaches, neck, shoulder or upper back pain, abdominal distress,
dizziness, loss of balance or chest pain? Has it been one month, six
months or even years after your "little fender bender"? Give us a call at MyoRehab
OR click here to set up your thirty minute consultation |
