Table 4
Studies suggesting change in muscle morphology is a cause of WAD
| First Author | Year Published | Study Design | Summary of Findings | Level of Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott | 2015 | Prospective longitudinal cohort study | MFI values were significantly higher in the severe group when compared to the recovered/ mild group at 2-weeks and 3-months | C |
| Karlsson | 2016 | X-sectional case-control | Participants with severe disability after a whiplash injury had higher MFI in the multifidus compared to controls and to those with mild/moderate disability secondary to WAD | B |
| Pedler | 2018 | X-sectional case-control | Global differences in MFI are not a feature of chronic WAD, with differences in MFI limited to the cervical spine musculature | B |
| Abbott | 2018 | X-sectional case-control | Increased MFI within cervical multifidus of WAD patients compared | B |
Level of evidence: B; Strength of conclusion: 4; MFI: Muscle fatty infiltrates, WAD: Whiplash-associated disorder