Conservative treatments for whiplash

Description: Cochrane Review
Conservative treatments for whiplash Verhagen AP, Scholten-Peeters GGGM, van Wijngaarden S, de Bie RA, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA
Whiplash is defined as an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer to the neck. It may result from rear-end or side-impact motor vehicle collisions or during diving, among other mishaps. Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) can be classified by the severity of signs and symptoms from Grade 0 (no complaints or physical signs) to Grade 4 (fracture or dislocation). Whiplash-associated disorders have been reported in 70 in 100,000 inhabitants in a Canadian province, to 188 to 325 per 100,000 inhabitants in The Netherlands. Conservative treatments (for example, physiotherapy, acupuncture, or a collar) are the most common treatment options for whiplash patients, but the evidence supporting their effectiveness remains conflicting.
Since we were unable to pool any of the studies, we remain unable to either support or refute the effects of conservative treatments for acute, subacute or chronic whiplash-associated disorders with the current evidence.