• Astrid Woodhouse, Pål Liljebäck, and Ottar Vasseljen.
• Department of Public Health & General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7489 Trondheim, Norway. astrid.woodhouse@ntnu.no
• J Rehabil Med. 2010 Jan 1;42(1):35-41.

ObjectiveWhile sensorimotor alterations have been observed in patients with neck pain, it is uncertain whether such changes distinguish whiplash-associated disorders from chronic neck pain without trauma. The aim of this study was to investigate head steadiness during isometric neck flexion in subjects with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (WAD), those with chronic non-traumatic neck pain and healthy subjects. Associations with fatigue and effects of pain and dizziness were also investigated.MethodsHead steadiness in terms of head motion velocity was compared in subjects with whiplash (n=59), non-traumatic neck pain (n=57) and healthy controls (n=57) during 2 40-s isometric neck flexion tests; a high load test and a low load test. Increased velocity was expected to reflect decreased head steadiness.ResultsThe whiplash group showed significantly decreased head steadiness in the low load task compared with the other 2 groups. The difference was explained largely by severe levels of neck pain and dizziness. No group differences in head steadiness were found in the high load task.ConclusionReduced head steadiness during an isometric holding test was observed in a group of patients with whiplash-associated disorders. Decreased head steadiness was related to severe pain and dizziness.

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