Cracking the problem of whiplash
Thousands of people experience whiplash injuries each year that can have a devastating impact on their quality of life.
Many people recover within a few weeks from whiplash injury following a motor vehicle accident, but around a third continue to have severe and debilitating symptoms for months and even years afterwards. The condition can cause major disruptions to home, work and leisure activities for those affected, and the expenses associated with their management are responsible for a large proportion of compulsory third party insurance costs in Australia.
A new study driven by researchers from The George Institute and the University of Queensland is now underway, aiming to identify those patients who are more likely to develop long-term symptoms.
Patients will be measured shortly after their accident and their recovery will be charted over a one year period. Physical and psychological functioning will be assessed within the first and third month after the car accident. Recovery will be measured after six and 12 months.
Study manager, Steve Kamper, from The George Institute’s musculoskeletal research team, said this information will help health professionals to identify those people who are at risk of a poor outcome and target them for specific interventions. "Chronic whiplash is a particularly complex and costly condition, so the ability to identify at risk patients soon after their accident is crucial to ensure early and appropriate intervention, particularly given the difficulties in treating patients with chronic symptoms," he added.
"Additionally, the data collected will provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the pain and disability experienced by patients following a whiplash injury. This is especially important because it will help design new and effective treatments that target the specific problems associated with whiplash injuries."
For further information, please contact Steve Kamper on skamper@george.org.au.