Mary Franz - Mar 23rd, 2011
Not everyone who suffers from a whiplash injury ends up with a neck disability or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but those who do regularly develop both conditions. For this reason, a recent study set out to determine baseline predictors of these two conditions and determine whether there is a relationship between the development of both disability and PTSD.
One-hundred fifty-five individuals with whiplash were recruited for this prospective study. They were assessed at less than one month and again at three, six and twelve months following their whiplash injury. They were each tested for neck disability and PTSD using the Neck Disability Index and the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. Age, gender, initial pain, pressure pain thresholds, cold pain thresholds and sympathetic vasoconstrictor responses were the baseline predictor variables.
It was found that the same baseline factors that predicted neck disability also predicted PTSD. These factors were the level of initial pain measures and age. The study supports a relationship between the developments of both chronic neck related disability and PTSD post whiplash injury as well as having similar predictable factors.
Whiplash occurs as a result of the neck being forced beyond its normal range of motion. Although whiplash is a common auto accident injury, it can also occur due to any jarring of the neck.
It is best to have whiplash evaluated by a chiropractor as soon as possible after the injury to lessen the chances of developing long-term pain and disability.
Sterling, M. Hendrikz J, Kenardy J. Similar factors predict disability and posttraumatic stress disorder trajectories after whiplash injury. Pain 2011 March 9.
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