A placebo controlled trial to determine the efficacy of chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of whiplash injury

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of manipulation of the cervical spine in the treatment of subacute and chronic whiplash injury utilizing a placebo treatment as a means of comparison. Treatment of whiplash injury still requires research in order to establish the effectiveness of manipulation as an adjunct in the management of this type of injury (Spitzer et al. 1995, Foreman and Croft 1995:468). Manipulation and mobilization have demonstrated some degree of effectiveness in the treatment of whiplash injury in past studies (Woodward et al. 1996, McKinney 1989