Development and delivery of a physiotherapy intervention for the early management of whiplash injuries: The Managing Injuries of Neck Trial (MINT) Intervention

Williamson, Esther; Williams, Mark; Hansen, Zara; Joseph, Stephen; Lamb, Sarah E.

doi:10.1016/j.physio.2008.11.001

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Volume 95, Issue 1 , Pages 15-23, March 2009

Development and delivery of a physiotherapy intervention for the early management of whiplash injuries: The Managing Injuries of Neck Trial (MINT) Intervention

Esther Williamson
- Clinical Trials Unit, Medical School Building, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- on behalf of the MINT Study Team: Professor Matthew Cooke, Professor Martin Underwood, Dr Professor Deborah Ashby, Sharul Mt. Isa, Professor Ala Szczepura, Anil Gumbar, Dr Simon Gates, Dr Frances Griffiths, Emma Withers and Professor Richard Mayou.
Mark Williams
- Clinical Trials Unit, Medical School Building, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- on behalf of the MINT Study Team: Professor Matthew Cooke, Professor Martin Underwood, Dr Professor Deborah Ashby, Sharul Mt. Isa, Professor Ala Szczepura, Anil Gumbar, Dr Simon Gates, Dr Frances Griffiths, Emma Withers and Professor Richard Mayou.
Zara Hansen
- Clinical Trials Unit, Medical School Building, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- on behalf of the MINT Study Team: Professor Matthew Cooke, Professor Martin Underwood, Dr Professor Deborah Ashby, Sharul Mt. Isa, Professor Ala Szczepura, Anil Gumbar, Dr Simon Gates, Dr Frances Griffiths, Emma Withers and Professor Richard Mayou.
Stephen Joseph
- Centre for Trauma, Resilience and Growth, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- on behalf of the MINT Study Team: Professor Matthew Cooke, Professor Martin Underwood, Dr Professor Deborah Ashby, Sharul Mt. Isa, Professor Ala Szczepura, Anil Gumbar, Dr Simon Gates, Dr Frances Griffiths, Emma Withers and Professor Richard Mayou.
Sarah E. Lamb
- Clinical Trials Unit, Medical School Building, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- on behalf of the MINT Study Team: Professor Matthew Cooke, Professor Martin Underwood, Dr Professor Deborah Ashby, Sharul Mt. Isa, Professor Ala Szczepura, Anil Gumbar, Dr Simon Gates, Dr Frances Griffiths, Emma Withers and Professor Richard Mayou.
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 024 765 74658; fax: +44 024 7657 4657.

published online 27 January 2009.

Abstract

This paper describes the development and implementation of a physiotherapy intervention for a large multicentred randomised controlled trial of the early management of whiplash injuries in a National Health Service setting. Participants were eligible if they were classified as having whiplash-associated disorder grades I to III and self-referred for treatment within 6 weeks of injury. The intervention development was informed through a variety of methods including the current evidence base, published guidelines, clinician opinion, a pilot study and expert opinion. The intervention was targeted at known, potentially modifiable risk factors for poor recovery, and utilised manual therapy, exercises and psychological strategies. The treatment was individually tailored, with a maximum of six treatments allowed within the trial protocol over an 8-week period. The intervention was delivered to 300 participants. The amount and types of treatments delivered are described.

Keywords: Whiplash injuries, Physical therapy modalities, Randomised controlled trial, Clinical protocols