Brisbane residents experiencing whiplash-related neck pain from a recent car accident are being offered free physiotherapy treatment if they participate in a new study.
The research project at The University of Queensland will examine physical and stress-related aspects of whiplash among participants that meet the criteria, in a bid to significantly improve recovery for injured people.
The project, headed by Professor Michele Sterling, will involve collaboration between physiotherapists and psychologists in an attempt to better manage the relationship between stress and pain in individuals with whiplash.
“Previous research conducted at UQ has identified whiplash as a multifaceted condition, so we now want to take that knowledge to the next level via a new management approach,” Professor Sterling said.
“The aim of this particular study is to identify people that are at risk of not recovering well and to address their pain and stress related responses.
“We have specially trained physiotherapists to include stress management techniques into a standard physiotherapy exercise approach.”
Professor Sterling’s hope is that by combining these approaches they will be able to enhance recovery in injured people.
UQ's Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD) will provide vital data and resources for the study.
However, the most important components of the project are individuals affected by whiplash.
Forty volunteers are required and Professor Sterling is committed to securing further participants.
“We are really excited by the possibilities of this research, and we are calling on all people with a recent whiplash injury across the greater Brisbane area to contact us.
“If they meet the criteria, they will certainly be recruited as participants in the study and receive free physiotherapy treatment,” he said.
To be involved, participants should be aged 18-70 years and be experiencing neck pain as a result of a motor vehicle accident within the last six weeks.
Volunteers will be asked to complete a set of questionnaires and attend UQ’s Herston Campus for assessment sessions. Participants will receive a free six-week physiotherapy treatment program and may also be offered additional strategies for managing stress following a motor vehicle accident, as this has been found to be an important factor in assisting people to recover well.
To volunteer or for further information, contact Andrew Popple 07 3365 5383 or email a.popple@uq.edu.au.
Media: Professor Michele Sterling 3365 5344; m.sterling@uq.edu.au
