Authors: James Elliott Michele Sterling Jon Timothy Noteboom Julia Treleaven Graham Galloway Gwendolen Jull
Publish Date: 2009/08/12
Volume: 18, Issue: 9, Pages: 1371-1378
Abstract
The objective was to determine whether any measurable changes in sensory responses kinesthetic sense cervical motion and psychological features were related to established fatty infiltration values in the cervical extensor musculature in subjects with persistent whiplash It is unknown if fatty infiltrate is related to any signs or symptoms Data on motor function Quantitative Sensory Testing psychological and general wellbeing and pain and disability were collected from 79 female subjects with chronic whiplash Total fat values were created for all subjects by averaging the muscle fat indices by muscle level and side from our MRI dataset of all the cervical extensor muscles Results of this study indicate the presence of altered physical kinesthetic sensory and psychological features in this cohort of patients with chronic whiplash Combined factors of sensory physical kinesthetic and psychological features all contributed to a small extent in explaining the varying levels of fatty infiltrate with cold pain thresholds having the most influence r 2 = 028 P = 002 Identifying and relating quantifiable muscular alterations to clinical measures in the chronic state underpin some clinical hypotheses for possible pathophysiological processes in this group with a chronic and recalcitrant whiplash disorder Future research investigations aimed at accurate identification subclassification prediction and management of patients with acute and chronic whiplash is warranted and underway
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