Whiplash-associated disorders include a variety of clinical manifestations, and can include neck pain and stiffness, arm pain and paresthesias, headache, dizziness, problems with memory and concentration, visual disturbances, and psychological distress, according to the authors of a recent research study.
In the study, people suffering from subacute whiplash-associated disorders experienced a significant improvement in neck flexion following three sessions of a myofascial technique.
The primary outcome measure in this study was cervical active range of motion, including flexion, extension, right lateral-flexion, left lateral-flexion, right rotation and left rotation. Cervical active range of motion was assessed before the intervention period, immediately after the two-week intervention period and again two weeks later.
Results of the research revealed that immediately after the two-week intervention period, those subjects who received three sessions of the myofascial technique displayed greater improvement in neck flexion than those who performed 10 sessions of conventional rehabilitation.
Editor’s note: an expanded Research Report on this topic will run in MASSAGE Magazine‘s July issue.