Y.M was a 43 year old female with neck pain after a whiplash injury from a car accident. She was referred to physical therapy by her primary care doctor. She was having a hard time turning her neck to drive, sitting in front of her computer for more than 5 to 10 minutes and couldn’t lift anything over 10 pounds.
Her physical therapy examination showed limited mobility not only in neck but all down her spine. Muscles along the spine on her right side were also causing excessive pressure on the discs and nerves. Collaborated with her primary care doctor to discuss her diagnostic tests and physical therapy findings. From here her plan of care was developed.
Her treatments were 1x/wk for 6 weeks and they included manual therapy techniques to gently lengthen her entire spine and reduce the pressure on the discs. Then strengthening work was introduced to help ensure stability and reduce her risk of re-injury.
After 6 visits, Y.M reported a significant reduction in her neck pain, she felt strongly about her home routine for stretching and strengthening. She had full and pain-free range of motion of her neck and was able to sit and drive comfortably. We also facilitated ergonomic modifications to her work station (including getting a sit to stand desk) to help with her posture and allow her to feel more productive at work.
