Dr Mark Howard offers a brief overview of Cervical Spine injuries and an example workout routine for initial Dorsal Spine rehabilitation and conditioning. There are four stages for successfully treating minor injuries (first aid, inflammation treatment, rehabilitation, strength conditioning). A doctor will classify a Cervical Spine injury (e.g. acute, chronic, mild, moderate or severe) so that they can recommend the most appropriate initial treatment. However, injury recovery does not end with medical care. It is important to follow up this treatment with rehab workout routines at home and strength conditioning with, for example, a personal trainer to restore muscle balance, strength, flexibility, balance and proprioception. This will significantly improve the chances of a full recovery and reduce the risk of re-injury. If you live in the Costa Blanca and have a Cervical Spine injury problem contact me for a chat about how I can help you with rehabilitation and conditioning.

1. Neck Injury Rehabilitation And A
Home Workout Routine
by
Dr. Mark Howard
Personal Trainer Costa Blanca
work-out-routines.com

2. Injury Rehabilitation
• Four stages for successfully treating minor injuries
1. Fast first aid (3 minutes following S.T.O.P)
2. Inflammation treatment (3 days with R.I.C.E.R)
3. Rehabilitation (3 weeks with physio massage and a PT)
4. Strength conditioning (3 months with a PT)
• This presentation provides a brief injury overview and an
example workout routine for rehabilitation and conditioning

3. Injury Classifications
• Acute (e.g. due to an accident) or chronic (e.g. overuse over a
period of time)
• Mild, moderate or severe
• Strains (i.e. tendon injury) and sprains (i.e. ligament injury)
from 1st to 3rd degree (most severe with rupture)
• A doctor will classify an injury so that they can recommend
the most appropriate treatment

4. Neck Anatomy
• The flexible cervical spine includes the top seven vertebrae from
C1 to the dorsal vertebrae at C7, it protects the spinal cord and
all the major arm and hand nerves radiate from it
• The front neck muscles originate from the clavicles and rib cage
to the vertebrae, jaw and skull and the rear of the neck is
covered in cervical vertebrae muscles (e.g. splenius group)
• In addition to the muscles and fibrous tissue (e.g. ligamentum
nuchae) the spine is stabilised with anterior and posterior
longitudinal, interspinous and supraspinous ligaments
• Intervertebral discs separate and cushion each vertebrae

5. Neck Anatomy
Vertebra
Anterior longitudinal ligaments
Intervertebral disc
Posterior longitudinal ligaments
Articular cartilage
Interspinous ligament
Supraspinous ligament

6. Neck Injury Examples
• Neck sprain (whiplash); stretching/tearing/bruising of
vertebrae ligaments, intervertebral discs, cervical muscles or
nerve roots cause neck pain/stiffness (e.g. hit from behind)
• Vertebrae fracture; a very serious injury caused by a direct
blow or twisting of the neck may cause serious nerve damage
• Neck strain; stretching/tearing of neck tendons and/or
muscles is fairly common and requires neck immobilisation
• Nerve damage; for example nerve stretch syndrome (acute
torticollis), nerve compression (wryneck) and pinched nerve

7. Neck Injury Workout Routine

8. Neck Injury Conclusions
• Follow 4 stages; first aid, inflammation
treatment, rehabilitation and strength conditioning to avoid re-
injury
• Actively participate in your recovery e.g. do your own home
workout routines and read up about your injury
• Seek professional advice and help at ALL stages (i.e.
recovery does not end with medical care!)
• If you live in the Costa Blanca contact me for a chat about
how I can help you with rehabilitation and conditioning (for
muscle balance, strength, flexibility, balance, proprioception)

9. Neck Injury Rehabilitation And A
Home Workout Routine
For more information and rehabilitation downloads please visit:
work-out-routines.com