Motor Control Patterns in Whiplash and Chronic Neck Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Woodhouse Astrid, Vasseljen Ottar
Primary Institution: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Hypothesis
The study aims to investigate motor control deficits in whiplash associated disorders (WAD) compared to chronic non-traumatic neck pain and healthy controls.
Conclusion
Both whiplash and chronic neck pain patients showed altered movement patterns in the cervical spine, indicating changes in motor control strategies.
Supporting Evidence
- Reduced conjunct motion was found for WAD and chronic neck pain patients compared to asymptomatic subjects.
- Maximal cervical range of motion was significantly reduced among the WAD patients compared to both control groups.
- No group differences were found in maximal ROM-variability or joint position error.
Takeaway
People with whiplash or chronic neck pain move their necks differently than healthy people, which might be because of long-lasting pain.
Methodology
A case-control study with 173 participants divided into three groups: WAD patients, chronic neck pain patients, and asymptomatic controls, using a 3D motion tracking system to measure cervical range of motion.
Potential Biases
The examiner was not blinded to the subjects' group allocation.
Limitations
The study did not account for potential motivational factors affecting movement patterns.
Participant Demographics
The study included 59 WAD patients, 57 chronic neck pain patients, and 57 asymptomatic volunteers, with no significant gender differences.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI; 12.2–15.6 for WAD group, 95% CI; 16.1–19.6 for chronic neck pain group, 95% CI; 23.7–28.1 for asymptomatic group
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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