STUDY DESIGN Focused review of the current literature. OBJECTIVE To identify and synthesize the most current data pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), and to report on whiplash-related injuries. METHODS A search of OVID Medline (1996-January 2007) and the Cochrane database of systematic reviews was performed using the keywords whipla...

STUDY DESIGN Literature-based review. OBJECTIVE To review the published data on occupant kinematic and neuromuscular responses during low-speed impacts and analyze how these data inform our understanding of whiplash injury. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA A stereotypical kinematic and neuromuscular response has been observed in human subjects exposed to rear-end impacts. Combined with various mo...

Whiplash injury is the most common motor vehicle injury, yet it is also one of the most poorly understood. Here we examine the evidence supporting an organic basis for acute and chronic whiplash injuries and review the anatomical sites within the neck that are potentially injured during these collisions. For each proposed anatomical site--facet joints, spinal ligaments, intervertebral discs, ve...

The validity of whiplash syndrome has been a source of debate in the medical literature for many years. Some authors have published articles suggesting that whiplash injuries are impossible at certain collision speeds; others have stated that the problem is psychological, or is feigned as a means to obtain secondary financial gain. These articles contradict the majority of the literature, which...

The pathophysiology of shoulder pain after whiplash injury remains uncertain. Patients with shoulder pain after a whiplash injury were recruited from the accident and emergency department in a prospective study to determine the nature of indirect shoulder trauma after a whiplash injury. Twenty patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained in 18 patient...

STUDY DESIGN The two publications of the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders were evaluated by the authors of this report for methodologic error and bias. OBJECTIVES To determine whether the conclusions and recommendations of the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders regarding the natural history and epidemiology of whiplash injuries are valid. SUMMARY OF THE BAC...

A whiplash is a sudden acceleration-deceleration of the neck and head, typically associated with a rear-end car collision that may produce injuries in the soft tissue. Often there are no objective signs or symptoms of injury, and diagnosing lasting whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) is difficult, in particular for individuals with mild or moderate injuries. This leaves a scope for compensation...

Background: Neck injuries following whiplash trauma can lead to long-term sequelae. Population-based studies covering traffic and non-traffic whiplash trauma are rare. The aim was to describe the incidence of neck injuries following whiplash trauma during one year, from a well-defined area served by a single hospital, and the resulting long-term sick leave during a five-year follow-up. Possible...