Neck pain
Neck pain is a common complaint resulting from disorders of any muscles, nerves and bones in the neck. The pain can be work-related (e.g. due to neck muscles that are strained due to poor work postures such as hunching over a computer or work bench) and non-work-related (e.g. due to a driving accident in which a car is rear-ended, resulting in whiplash). IWH research seeks to determine the work-related risk factors for neck pain, how many workers report it, and how to best treat it to ensure a safe and timely recovery and return to work.
Featured
At Work article
IWH study finds 7 in 10 injured workers still experience pain more than a year after injury
A high proportion of injured workers in Ontario experience persistent pain for well over a year after their work-related injury. According to an IWH study of workers' compensation lost-time claimants, 70 per cent of workers experience pain 18 months after their work injury.
Published: September 30, 2022
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
Neck pain common among adults, review shows
The first review summarizing studies about the impact and causes of neck pain in the general population finds it a common condition. Risk factors include age, gender and genetics, as well as smoking, exposure to tobacco, and psychological health.
Published: January 2008
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
“Passive” coping may slow whiplash recovery
Passive coping strategies—for example, withdrawing from social activities due to pain or hoping for better pain medications—slow down recovery for people with whiplash, particularly those who also have depressive symptoms.
Published: January 2007
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
Fitness training, rehabilitation don’t improve whiplash recovery
Rehabilitation programs such as fitness training, exercises and weight training are no better than the usual care to help patients recover from whiplash.
Published: January 2007
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
Whiplash after traffic accidents can lead to depression
Symptoms of depression appear to be relatively common after whiplash injury. They occur soon after the incident and can be persistent, especially if patients have a history of depressive symptoms.
Published: January 2007
Research Highlights
Research Highlights
Early aggressive care delays recovery after whiplash, study confirms
Too much health care too early after a whiplash injury has a negative affect on a patient's recovery, a study finds. It confirms that the results of an earlier study are not due to chance.
Published: January 2007
At Work article
At Work article
Too much treatment, too early after whiplash injury delays recovery
Whiplash patients who are treated too aggressively right after being injured may actually take longer to recover than those who get less treatment. That’s the conclusion of a recently published study by Institute Scientist Dr. Pierre Côté.
Published: February 2006