Neuromuscular Mechanisms Underlying Poor Recovery From Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash is a condition that consists of patients that display varying degrees of pain and disability. Most patients should expect full-recovery within the first 2-3 months post injury. At the other end of the spectrum is a group of patients (\~ 25%) who continue to have moderate-severe pain-related disability in the long-term. Reasons for this transition to chronicity are largely unknown. The situation would benefit if there were radiological findings of the disorder. However, clear and consistent findings of injured tissues on standard radiological exams remain elusive. As part of this study, the investigators will innovatively investigate measures to 1) quantify the temporal development of widespread muscle degeneration, 2) identify quantifiable markers of altered cervical spinal cord physiology, 3) quantify reductions in central activation and fatigue 4) evaluate potential genetic variants that may be associated with chronic pain after a MVC and 5) determine the mediational influence of psychosocial factors on recovery rates following whiplash injury, as a potential mechanism underlying the transition to chronic pain.