My Trip to Funtown and Whiplash
June 2nd, 2010
I adore amusement park rides. I love roller coasters, and I love the log flume. I’m thrilled by the scrambler and the teacups, and I even enjoy watching little kids on the antique auto rides.
One ride that I always skip, however, is the bumper cars.
This past weekend, I went to Funtown in Saco for a friend’s birthday surprise party. My entire group seemed so excited about the bumper cars! They eagerly piled in and started bumpin’ away. They circled around each other in the cars, ganged up on each other, launched sneak attacks, and bumped from in front and behind.
And for the entire five minutes that I stood off to the side and watched the ride, all I could think about was their poor, poor necks.
Whiplash is a condition caused by hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck, as you might experience in a car accident. The most common symptoms of low-grade whiplash are neck and shoulder pain; headaches; pain between the shoulder blades; and neurological symptoms such as blurred vision and numbness and tingling in the arms. Symptoms don’t typically develop right away, which means folks might forget about the injury that caused these symptoms in the first place.
Luckily, if you’re having these symptoms and they are relatively minor, specific massage therapy techniques might offer some relief. Myofascial massage can allow your muscles and ligaments to move more freely, frictioning can break up scar tissue, and trigger point work can break up muscle knots. Other massage techniques increase circulation and bring fresh oxygen to the muscles, all with the goal of relieving pain and increasing range of motion in your neck.
Bottom line: If your summer activities involve amusement parks, look out for whiplash! And come see me if you’re in pain.
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