The late whiplash syndrome: a biopsychosocial approach

Physicians and other therapists continue to grapple in daily practice with the controversies of the late whiplash syndrome. For decades much of the de bate and the approach to this controversial syndrome has centred on the nat ural history of and progression to chronic pain after acute whiplash injury . Recognising that there is recent epidemiological data that defines the na tural history of the acute whiplash injury outside of many of the confoundi ng factors occurring in many western countries, and the lack of evidence fo r a ('chronic whiplash injury)), this article will thus introduce the biops ychosocial model, its elements, its advantages over the traditional model, and the practical application of this model. The biopsychosocial model reco gnises physical and psychological souces of somatic symptoms, but fundament ally recognises that the late whiplash syndrome is not the result of a "chr onic injury".