Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 8/23/2007

Question
On Aug. 4th I had a mountain biking accident.  I was going downhill way too fast and ended up flipping off the handle bars as a rock or something suddenly stopped me in my tracks.  When I flipped I landed on my head (thank God for helmets) and my back.  At first it was hard to breathe or walk without feeling pain.  A few days later I started losing mobility in my neck (whiplash).  After a week of laying up, I now feel better as I can now climb stairs and walk without pain, cough without pain, or difficulty in breathing.  However, my upper back still feels sore at times.  Is this normal?  How long can I expect to get back to normal?  Should I have an x-ray to see if I have lung damage or fractured ribs?

Thanks

Answer
Absolutely get an x-ray, not only for lung and rib problems, but to make sure you do not have a compression fracture of the spine.  These are very common with that type of injury.  A good chiropractor will not only take the xrays, but if there is a problem, will refer you for a proper course of medical treatment if needed.