Head posture in patients with whiplash-associated disorders and the measurement method's reliability – A comparison to healthy subjects

Abstract

Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are a major problem for healthcare providers and sufferers. Neck pain is one of the most common WAD, and forward head posture may contribute to neck pain. Objective methods for assessing head posture are necessary in the evaluation of postural correction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inter-rater reliability of the goniometer and to examine differences in head posture in patients with WAD compared with healthy individuals. Twenty-seven consecutive patients and 40 healthy subjects matched for age and gender were included in the study. Head position relative to shoulders in standing was assessed by three examiners. The inter-rater reliability for the goniometer showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.95. The absolute reliability for the three testers was 1.8°. An independent t-test showed that the difference in head posture between the patients and controls was significant. The patient group showed more forward head posture. Patients with WAD ...