Many of the ways that our life changes after a whiplash injury make it boring. I don't know about you, but when I get bored, I get frustrated and I am less productive. As a healthcare provider (chiropractor), I have tried to make things less boring for the people who I work with. Here are some of the ways that I try to make treatment of conditions like whiplash fun and entertaining.
Positive Attitude, Relaxed Environment and Common Interests
I find that our environment is very important when working on anything difficult. If things are drab and tense, then it becomes difficult to be at ease. When I am tense, it is definitely difficult to have any kind of fun. Of course it is my job to be an authority on a topic, but it is also my job to be supportive, positive, encouraging and even fun, sometimes. I have set up my office and schedule so that an important part of a visit with me can be spent chatting. I ask questions about the injury and want to document what problems are caused by the injury. I also want to get to know the people with whom I work. I want to understand what they enjoy and help them to get back to these things. If we can find some common interests (sports, movies, pop culture, cars, animals, geography) it becomes easier to relax and progress towards common goals of feeling better and getting back to as much normal life as possible.
Games and Play
Some of the exercises needed to recover from a whiplash injury are quite boring. Active ranges of motion are simple and don't leave much room for play. Sometimes we have to try to liven up physical activity with different types of games and playful movements. This could be as simple as playing catch, which is quite fun for me. Other types of games and play that can be helpful in whiplash recovery include some board games where neck and arm movement is needed, juggling (which one can learn. in step by step process) or shooting hoops on my office basketball net. There are also many games that can be played using a head laser that involve neck movement, that can be fun. I we are open to games and play and willing to infuse them into exercise and physical activity, rehabilitation can be less of a chore and easier to get done, allowing for faster progress.
Add Music
Everything is more fun with music. This can be a bit of a challenge because everyone likes different types of music. Did you know that moving to a beat, any beat, has been found to reduce pain and improve mood. Dancing might be a bit of magic. Sometimes I ask someone what type of music they like, and they can't think of anything. My go to in these situations is "Fly me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra. Try to listen to that song and not tap your toes or fingers to the beat.
There are many ways to make something like rehabilitation more fun, but it often comes down to our openness to the possibility that it could be fun and finding the thing that might be even a little bit fun for each person. Sometimes, it takes a while to find the fun in rehabilitation, but one has to try their best. I am here to help you find some of the fun and positivity that you may have lost since your injury. To find it again, reach out to me at 613-806-8605 or info@lowertownrehablitation.ca
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