Whiplash and Chiropractic

BACKGROUND: Massage is widely used for neck pain, but its effectiveness remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of massage compared to placebo or sham, no treatment or exercise as an adjuvant to the same co-intervention for acute to chronic persisting neck pain in adults with or without radiculopathy, including whiplash-associated disorders and cervicogenic headache. SEARCH METHODS: We searched multiple databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Index to Chiropractic Literature, trial registries) to 1 October 2023...

This series illustrates how rear-end impact motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) alter the cervical spine's alignment and demonstrates therapeutic use of cervical extension traction to improve lordotic alignment and other outcomes. This is a retrospective reporting of 7 adult patients (4 males and 3 females, 28-42 years) treated for cervical hypolordosis. These subjects received Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP® ) rehabilitation and then were involved in a rear-end MVC. All cases had radiographic assessment that quantified the buckling of the cervical spine, presumably resulting directly from the CAD trauma...

OBJECTIVE: Few clinical prediction models are available to clinicians to predict the recovery of patients with post-collision neck pain and associated disorders. We aimed to develop evidence-based clinical prediction models to predict (1) self-reported recovery and (2) insurance claim closure from neck pain and associated disorders (NAD) caused or aggravated by a traffic collision. METHODS: The selection of potential predictors was informed by a systematic review of the literature...

Injury to the head and neck resulting from whiplash trauma can result in upper cervical instability (UCIS), in which excessive movement at C1 on C2 is observed radiologically. In some cases of UCIS there is also a loss of normal cervical lordosis. We postulate that improvement or restoration of the normal mid to lower cervical lordosis in patients with UCIS can improve the biomechanical function of the upper cervical spine, and thus potentially improve symptoms and radiographic findings associated with UCIS...

[Purpose] To document the re-establishment of the cervical lordosis following radiographically verified altered sagittal plane alignment both prior to, and following a motor vehicle collision. [Participant and Methods] A 16-year-old male presented for a non-motor collision complaint of low back pain. Initial lateral cervical radiograph demonstrated cervical hypo-lordosis. The patient was treated with a 6-week plan (18 visits) utilizing Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP) methods to increase the cervical lordosis...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the reliability and, where possible, the validity of cervicocephalic proprioceptive (CCP) tests in healthy adults and clinical populations. METHODS: A systematic search, utilizing 7 databases from the earliest possible date to April 14, 2021, identified studies that measured reliability of CCP tests. Studies were screened for eligibility, and included studies were appraised using Quality Appraisal Tool for Studies of Diagnostic Reliability (QAREL) and Quality Assessment and Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 Tool (QUADAS-2) tools...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this case report is to describe the immediate effects of osteopathic cranial manipulation on pain and cervical motion in a patient with whiplash-associated disorder. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 74-year-old man reported daily cervicogenic headaches after a whiplash injury caused by a traffic accident 3 months prior. Physical examination and osteopathic assessment identified tissue texture alteration, positional asymmetry, limited range of motion, and tenderness...

BACKGROUND: Whiplash injury is common following road traffic crashes affecting millions worldwide, with up to 50% of the injured developing chronic symptoms and 15% having a reduced working capability due to ongoing disability. Many of these patients receive treatment in primary care settings based upon clinical and diagnostic imaging findings. Despite the identification of different types of injuries in the whiplash patients, clinically significant relationships between injuries and chronic symptoms remains to be fully established...

PURPOSE: The inter-rater reliability of the Quebec Task Force (QTF) classification system for Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) remains unknown. Our objective was to determine the inter-rater reliability of the WAD classification between an experienced chiropractic clinician and two chiropractic residents. METHODS: We conducted an inter-rater reliability study using baseline clinical data from 80 participants assessed for inclusion in a randomized clinical trial of the conservative management of WAD grades I and II...

Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) is the most common complaint and purported cause of chronic disability associated with motor vehicle collisions in North America. However, its construct validity remains controversial. This narrative review of the literature summarises the evidence underlying the most commonly theorised biological and psychosocial mechanisms of WAD pathogenesis. While the face validity of WAD is good, empirical evidence supporting the various constructs suggesting a causal link between a trauma mechanism and the development of symptoms is poor...

BACKGROUND: Individuals with whiplash associated disorder (WAD) frequently experience neck pain in addition to other physical, psychological and social symptoms. Consequently, treatment is sought from a variety of health professionals. The limited data available about health services use in this population are conflicting. This study aimed to characterise health service use in individuals with WAD from a motor vehicle crash. METHODS: Medical (general practitioner (GP), medical specialist, emergency services (ED), radiology - x-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound) and allied health service (physiotherapy, chiropractor, psychologist, osteopath, occupational therapy) use during acute (< 12 weeks) and chronic (12 weeks to 2 years) post-injury periods were analysed in adults claiming compensation for WAD in the no-fault jurisdiction of Victoria, Australia (n = 37,315)...

BACKGROUND: Intervertebral instability is a relatively common finding among patients with chronic neck pain after whiplash trauma. Videofluoroscopy (VF) of the cervical spine is a potentially sensitive diagnostic tool for evaluating instability, as it offers the ability to examine relative intervertebral movement over time, and across the entire continuum of voluntary movement of the patient. At the present time, there are no studies of the diagnostic accuracy of VF for discriminating between injured and uninjured populations...

[Purpose] To present the successful treatment of posttraumatic dizziness and neck pains that were initiated in a patient following a whiplash event. [Subject and Methods] A 46 year old male suffered a whiplash event that initiated neck pain and dizziness symptoms. The patient had many positive orthopedic findings and demonstrated a forward head posture and cervical hypolordosis. The patient was treated by Chiropractic BioPhysics® technique including cervical extension traction, extension exercises and spinal manipulative therapy initially three times a week for 16-weeks, and once a month thereafter...

[Purpose] To present the case of the non-surgical restoration of cervical lordosis in a patient suffering from chronic whiplash syndrome including chronic neck pain and daily headaches resulting from previous whiplash. [Subject and Methods] A 31 year old female presented with a chief complaint of chronic neck pain and headaches for 12 years, correlating temporally with a sustained whiplash. These symptoms were not significantly relieved by previous chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. The patient had cervical hypolordosis and was treated with Chiropractic BioPhysics® protocol including extension exercises, manual adjustments and cervical extension traction designed to increase the cervical lordosis...

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is one of the three most frequently reported complaints of the musculoskeletal system. Treatments for neck pain are varied, as are perceptions of benefit. Acupuncture has been used as an alternative to more conventional treatment for musculoskeletal pain. This review summarises the most current scientific evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture for acute, subacute and chronic neck pain. This update replaces our 2006 Cochrane review update on this topic. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of acupuncture for adults with neck pain, with focus on pain relief, disability or functional measures, patient satisfaction and global perceived effect...

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to develop a clinical practice guideline on the management of neck pain-associated disorders (NADs) and whiplash-associated disorders (WADs). This guideline replaces 2 prior chiropractic guidelines on NADs and WADs. METHODS: Pertinent systematic reviews on 6 topic areas (education, multimodal care, exercise, work disability, manual therapy, passive modalities) were assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and data extracted from admissible randomized controlled trials...

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is one of the three most frequently reported complaints of the musculoskeletal system. Treatments for neck pain are varied, as are perceptions of benefit. Acupuncture has been used as an alternative to more conventional treatment for musculoskeletal pain. This review summarises the most current scientific evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture for acute, subacute and chronic neck pain. This update replaces our 2006 Cochrane review update on this topic. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of acupuncture for adults with neck pain, with focus on pain relief, disability or functional measures, patient satisfaction and global perceived effect...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVE: To establish trends in whiplash-related health service use and cost in Victoria, Australia. DESIGN: Administrative data analysis. SUBJECTS: Whiplash patients claiming Transport Accident Commission (TAC) compensation for accidents dating between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009 (n = 51,263). METHODS: Injury-related health service use during one year following the accident was determined from claim payment records...

BACKGROUND: Implementation strategies for clinical guidelines have shown modest effects in changing health professional's knowledge and practice, however, targeted implementations are suggested to achieve greater improvements. This study aimed to examine the effect of a targeted implementation strategy of the Australian whiplash guidelines on health professionals' knowledge, beliefs and practice and to identify predictors of improved knowledge. METHODS: 94 health professionals (Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Osteopaths) who manage whiplash participated in this study...