Objective and subjective measures to guide upper extremity return to sport testing: a modified Delphi survey

Review written by Dr Julia Treleaven info

Key Points

  1. A 12-week program of neck specific exercises can improve postural sway in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorder (WAD) in the short term.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Sensorimotor control, including balance, has been shown to be impaired in individuals with whiplash associated disorder (WAD) likely due to altered cervical afferent input secondary to cervical musculoskeletal impairments, such as reduced neck muscle function (1-3).

This paper looked at balance (postural sway) at baseline in individuals with chronic WAD compared with healthy matched controls and then immediately after three months of neck-specific exercise. They also aimed to look at the relationship between postural sway with self-reported dizziness during motion and balance problems. The 12-week neck specific exercise program was either with internet support (i.e. four visits to a physiotherapist and an online programme) or neck-specific exercise at a physiotherapy clinic twice a week

Sensorimotor control, including balance, has been shown to be impaired in individuals with whiplash associated disorder.
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Neck specific exercises can improve impaired balance in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorder.

METHODS

To be included in the study participants were to be aged 18-63, have chronic WAD (>6 months- 5 years post-accident) grades 2 or 3, report least 2/10 on a visual analogue scale and score more than 20% on the neck

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