Physiotherapy management of whiplash-associated disorders (WAD)

Abstract

'Whiplash-associated disorders' (WAD) is the term given to the variety of symptoms often reported by people following acceleration/deceleration injury to the neck, most commonly via a road traffic crash. The cardinal symptom is neck pain but neck stiffness, dizziness, paraesthesia/anaesthesia in the upper quadrant, headache and arm pain are also commonly reported. The neck-related pain is associated with disability, decreased quality of life, and psychological distress. Due to WAD often being a compensable injury, it is a controversial condition, with some still denying it as a legitimate condition.1 This is despite the wealth of evidence demonstrating both physical and psychological manifestations that have implications for management. This narrative review will outline the burden of WAD, the clinical pathway following injury, and factors predictive of both good and poor recovery. The diagnosis and assessment of WAD will be discussed. This will be followed by an overview of the current evidence for management of the condition and future directions for research and clinical practice in order to improve health outcomes for this condition.