Dealing with chronic whiplash disorders can be challenging, so two UQ research centres have organised a free seminar for those with whiplash injuries, their families and healthcare professionals.
Clinical research manager Andrew Claus said the seminar, to be held at Brisbane’s Sofitel Hotel on April 16 from 7-8pm would be ‘an entertaining and informative event’.
Sponsored by the UQ Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain Injury and Health (CCRE SPINE), UQ Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD) and the Spine Society of Australia, the event will discuss the latest knowledge from a range of whiplash experts.
“It will appreciate the challenges of chronic whiplash disorders, as well as tools to cope with and overcome the challenges to optimise quality of life,” Mr Claus said.
The hypothetical seminar will bring together the latest expertise in treating whiplash from fields such as physiotherapy, chiropractic, orthopaedic surgery, psychology, occupational therapy and art therapy.
“People will gain the very latest in research advances and clinical practice for management of chronic whiplash disorders,” Mr Claus said.
Mr Claus said that research within the university by leaders in the field such as Associate Professor Michele Sterling and Professor Gwendolyn Jull have shown whiplash injuries change muscle function in the neck and sensory perception of pain in ways that are different to other types of neck pain.
“This is helping to inform how patients are assessed and treated,” he said.
The event will also benefit healthcare professionals.
“All levels of health professionals will gain from the seminar, if not from the latest advances in their own field, from the approaches of others who work in parallel,” Mr Claus said.
The seminar will be moderated by David Buchanan, a lecturer in nursing with a PhD on the linguistics of pain and who has personally experienced whiplash.
“David will bring out many of the experiences that patients encounter, such as conflicting advice from different professions and treatments that have variable success rates and side effects,” he said.
“The presentation will help people with whiplash to draw the best they can from what each profession has to offer, as well as getting the best from themselves.”
Those attending will also be given the opportunity to ask questions relating to chronic whiplash.
“In the final 20 minutes we will open up the panel to questions from the audience for general questions related to the experience and management of whiplash,” Mr Claus said.
Information regarding the UQ whiplash website and treatment clinics associated with the UQ whiplash research team will also be available at the seminar.
The seminar will be held at the Sofitel Hotel, 249 Turbot Street, on April 16 from 7-8pm. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Bookings are essential, and to reserve your place email Mr Claus at a.claus1@uq.edu.au.
You can visit the UQ whiplash website here
Media: Andrew Clause (07 3365 4660 or a.claus1@uq.edu.au), or Amanda Sproule at UQ Communications (07 3365 2339)
