Neck Exercises, Training and Pain Management as a Treatment for Whiplash Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Neck pain is widespread problem. The prevalence of neck pain in the Scandinavian countries is 36%. Of the working population the prevalence of chronic neck pain is 10 - 20%.The National Board of Health estimates that 5-6000 subjects per year in Denmark are involved in a traffic accident evoking whiplash-induced chronic neck pain. The main problems for patients with chronic neck pain are cervical dysfunction, reduced neck mobility and stability in addition to local and possibly generalised pain Besides chronic neck pain, patients may suffer from poor pain coping strategies and physical inactivity which influences physical function, general health and causes a poor quality of life.

Physical training including specific exercises targeting the deep postural muscles of the spine is effective in reducing neck pain for patients with chronic neck pain. Physical behavioural graded activity is a treatment approach with focus on increasing general physical fitness, reducing fear of movements and increasing psychological function. Educational sessions, where the focus is on understanding complex chronic pain mechanisms and development of appropriate pain coping and/or cognitive behavioural strategies have shown reduced general pain.

Thus this project is formulated on the expectation that rehabilitation of patients with chronic neck pain after a whiplash accident must target cervical dysfunctions, training of physical function and the understanding and management of chronic pain in a combined therapy approach.

The study is designed as a randomized control study including 200 patients. All participate in the educational sessions. The training group receives on top of that instruction in specific neck exercises and general training.

Inclusion criteria

• chronic neck pain for at least 6 months
• reduced physical neck function (NDI minimum 10)
• pain primarily in the neck region,
• finished any medical /radiological examinations
• able to read and understand Danish and
• able to participate in the exercise program.

Exclusion criteria

• radiculopathies upper extremity
• neurological deficits
• in a process of examining for unknown pathology,
• experimental medical treatment,
• being in a unstable social situation
• pregnancy
• fractures
• suffering from depression
• other known coexisting medical conditions which would severely restrict participation in the exercise program