Isometric muscle fatigue and NDI values in patients with whiplash injury

Abstract

Introduction: Whiplash injury is very common trauma after rear end collision in car accidents. Soon after injury, symptoms of whiplash injury lead to disability, mostly because of pain and fatigue of paravertebral muscles. Some of patients recover soon after this trauma, but one part of injured population has chronic problems with neck. Aim: To investigate association between whiplash injury (graduated according to Quebec Task Force, QTF) isometric muscle fatigue of paravertebral muscles and values of Neck Disability Index (NDI). Material and methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in 47 patients with earlier diagnosed whiplash injury who came to the control examination 2 days after trauma. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to QTF, after that they fill questionnaire NDI, and also their isometric muscle fatigue of paravertebral muscles have been measured in two certain positions. Results: There were 47 patients with whiplash injury with average age 36,72 ± 10,29 years. According to the results, 29,8% (N = 14) patients had QTF 1, 25,5% (N = 12) patients had QTF 2 and 44,7% (N = 21) patients had QTF 3. Muscle fatigue onset in Position 1 after 32,81 s, and in Position 2 57,1 s. Average value of NDI questionnaire for all tested patients was 39,79%. Statistical correlations between grade of whiplash injury according to QTF, values of NDI and time of muscle fatigue in tested positions are well. Conclusion: There were excellent statistical connections between values of whiplash injury grade with muscle fatigue of paravertebral muscles and results of NDI questionnaire. Keywords: Whiplash injury, Muscle fatigue, Quebec Task Force