4 Common Causes of Neck Injuries

By being aware of the following four common causes of neck injuries, you can take precautionary steps to help you avoid being injured. But if you are injured, we'll also be looking at a few tested ways to speed up your recovery.

Whiplash

Whether sustained from a car accident or other type of incident, whiplash is no joke. Sure, it's the stuff of dramatic TV shows where car chases end with neck braces, but let's cut to reality. A sudden stop-and-jolt motion (which is common in rear-end collisions) can whip your cervical spine like a ragdoll. Although tech advances and improved traffic safety measures such as the Direct Vision Standard, known as DVS in English, have helped reduce road accidents and hazards considerably in recent years, whiplash injuries remain quite common. Healing from whiplash takes time—and sometimes medical interventions you weren't planning on. But get this: if another party is to blame for the injury, you have the opportunity to seek compensation. With the assistance of a robust legal team to help you resolve a whiplash accident lawsuit, you could receive damages to cover things like medical bills and lost wages.

Tech Neck

Tech neck is a new name for an old problem—repetitive strain and injury to your neck muscles, and other cervical spine tissue. Picture this: you're hunched over your laptop or phone for what feels like eons, deep-diving into an endless scroll of social media feeds to up your brand image or maybe plowing through a mountain of work emails. But here's the kicker. That screen slouch can create the gnarly side effect of tech neck which can seriously torque your neck muscles. Constantly craning your head forward to glare at screens puts loads of undue stress on your cervical spine. Over time, this can lead to strain injuries and muscle tightness that might make doing even simple nods feel like you've got a personal rain cloud right over your shoulder area.

Heavy Lifting

Another super common way that folks mangle their necks, without even trying too hard, is by lugging around boxes and other items—perhaps at work or when moving house. Lifting hefty items incorrectly is like sending your neck muscles—and the other muscles in your body—an invitation to an injury fiesta they never wanted to attend. When you play fast and loose with proper lifting techniques, all the weight can lead to one serious strain-fest on your neck vertebrae and discs. So, next time you're eyeing up a heavy load, remember: check your ego and get some help, or nail those lifting-form basics.

Working Out

Ever dive into a workout with all the gusto of a superhero, only to come out feeling like you've been thwacked by your own kryptonite? Here's the lowdown: poor form or overdoing it at the gym can literally be a pain in the neck. When you're pumping iron or slaying that CrossFit WOD without proper technique, say hello to strained muscles, compromised nerves, and even slipped discs if you're not careful. It's great to push limits, but remember to keep tabs on your posture and alignment. So next time you hoist those dumbbells or crush that HIIT session, do it right and your neck will thank you big time.

Bouncing back from a neck injury can be quite a drag. However, there are some ways in which you may be able to speed up the recovery time. Rest up and take a breather and let your body do its healing. Apply ice packs to bring down the swelling, and gradually increase movement without going full Hulk-mode. Let physical therapy professionals guide you with exercises tailored for victory. And be sure to stay ergonomically correct by keeping everything aligned from screens to seats.