Results of a Multimodal Treatment Program for Patients With Chronic Symptoms After a Whiplash Injury of the Neck

• Published in: Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 2000-01, Vol.25 (2), p.238-238
• Main Authors: Vendrig, Alexander A, van Akkerveeken, Pieter F, McWhorter, Kevin R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adult; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Combined Modality Therapy; Depression - therapy; Fatigue - therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Injuries of the limb. Injuries of the spine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neck Injuries - therapy; Pain Measurement; Personality Tests; Physical Therapy Modalities; Program Evaluation; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Treatment Outcome; Whiplash Injuries - therapy
• ISSN: 0362-2436; 1528-1159
• DOI: 10.1097/00007632-200001150-00016

STUDY DESIGN.A descriptive case series pre- and posttreatment design, including a 6-month follow-up. OBJECTIVES.The objective of this study was to document the improvements of patients with chronic symptoms after a “whiplash” injury of the neck, who attended a 4-week multimodal treatment program at the Rug AdviesCentra Nederland. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.To the authors’ knowledge, no studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of multidisciplinary treatment of chronic symptoms after whiplash injury. METHODS.Twenty-six patients who experienced Quebec type 1 or 2 lesions of the neck (whiplash) with persisting symptoms of longer than 6 months’ duration participated in the study. The measures included were pain intensity (according to the visual analog scale), number of painful sites (determined by pain drawing), self-reported disability Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale; and symptoms of somatic and psychological distress and cognitive symptoms (according to selected Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 scales). Furthermore, objective outcome criteria were used regarding return to work, medication, and medical and paramedical treatment. Statistical and clinical significance of treatment results were both assessed. RESULTS.The patients’ symptoms improved significantly on nearly all self-report measures. Their scores for objective outcome criteria reported during the 6-month follow-up evaluation werecomplete return to work (65%); complete or partial return to work (92%); no use of analgesics in the past 6 months (58%); and no medical or paramedical treatments in the past 6 months (81%). CONCLUSION.These early results indicate that a multimodal treatment program has the potential to be an effective treatment for patients with chronic symptoms after a whiplash injury of the neck—a group of patients who have in the past been considered intractable or, at the very least, puzzling.