Each year, more than 100,000 Australians are injured in road crashes. About 75% of these are mild-to-moderate injuries affecting the neck or back.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is the most common injury after a road crash. It happens when the head and neck are suddenly forced forwards and backwards. Recovery differs from person to person. While many people recover within a few months, up to half continue to experience pain and other symptoms more than three months after their injury. This highlights the need for better whiplash treatments and support.
Why participate in research on whiplash?
The RECOVER Injury Research Centre at The University of Queensland is working to improve whiplash recovery and treatment through world-leading research. By taking part, you could:
- Access new approaches to whiplash treatment
- Help improve care for future patients
- Support research into why some people recover quickly and others experience ongoing symptoms
Join a whiplash research study
Your eligibility to participate in a research project may depend on how recently you were injured. Click through the tabs below to learn more about projects that are currently recruiting participants.
How recently were you injured?
PRioRTI: a clinical trial of pregabalin to treat neck and/or back pain as a result of road traffic injuries
Study name: PRioRTI: PReventing chronic pain after whiplash Road Traffic Injury
The drug Pregabalin may help prevent the nervous system from becoming overly sensitive to pain. This increased pain sensitivity is linked to a poorer recovery after a whiplash-related road traffic injury. Pregabalin is approved in Australia for neuropathic pain and epilepsy, and it is increasingly used off-label for acute whiplash. A recent clinical trial found that compared to a placebo, pregabalin had promising and sustained effects when it was used to prevent chronic pain after a whiplash injury.
The PRiorTI Trial is now investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a short course of pregabalin for neck and/or back pain as a result of non-catastrophic road traffic injuries.
Eligibility:
- Adults, 18+
- Neck or back pain after a road traffic injury
- Injured in the past 2 weeks
PICOT Trial: Access a new treatment for whiplash and support physiotherapist training
The newly developed StressModex program includes psychological strategies with physiotherapy care to treat neck and back injuries after a motor vehicle crash. However, the psychological strategies used in StressModex are not part of standard physiotherapist training. An earlier clinical trial showed that after a 2-day in-person training course, physiotherapists delivered the StressModex program well, and improved patient outcomes. The PICOT trial is evaluating the effectiveness of an online training program for physiotherapists delivering the StressModex intervention. People with recent whiplash injuries can find a physiotherapist participating in this trial through the PICOT web page.
Study name: Physiotherapists bIopsyChosocial Online Training (PICOT)
Locations: Participating clinics are located in towns and cities throughout Australia
SCED study: Help refine the StressModex program for whiplash treatment
We're looking for Brisbane-based volunteers to participate in research refining the StressModex treatment for whiplash injuries. Participants will receive 6 free treatment sessions from qualified physiotherapists as part of the study.
RISE online workshop: Give feedback on a text message-based support program for people with whiplash injuries
Current treatments for whiplash often miss the emotional impact of trauma and aren’t always affordable or easy to access. Our team has co-designed RISE, a new and easy-to-access support program delivered by text message. We need people who have experienced whiplash from a road traffic incident to help co-design the text message intervention.
Study name: RISE for Recovery, Information, Support, Empowerment after road traffic injury – an innovative text messaging intervention pilot study
The Improving health outcomes after musculoskeletal injury research team at RECOVER develops effective diagnosis, assessment and treatment for people with musculoskeletal injury following a motor vehicle crash. Our research includes many different aspects of recovery.
Criteria
We are often looking for volunteers for different studies.
- You must be over 18 years of age; and
- Experiencing musculoskeletal pain, for example neck or back pain
What is involved?
Each study has slightly different requirements - some require the completion of online questionnaires, others involve telephone or face-to-face interviews, whilst some include participation in activities or treatment.
How can I volunteer or find out more?
Stay in touch
The RECOVER Injury Research Centre's Consumer and Community newsletter keeps you up to date with opportunities to get involved in research at RECOVER and the latest findings from our research teams.