Shifting Away From Pain: a Neurocognitive Approach in Treatment of Whiplash

This project runs in parallel to a larger randomized‐controlled trial (RCT) in which the 'modern neuroscience approach to WAD' is compared to usual care evidence‐based physiotherapy (clinical trial registration number: NCT03239938). For the current study, additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures will be taken in a subsample of patients, who will be recruited from this larger RCT. In addition, a pain‐free age‐ and sex‐matched control group will be recruited for comparison. The current study consists of 2 MRI measurements that will take place at the University Hospital of Ghent (UZ Gent): baseline (pre‐treatment) and follow‐up (post‐treatment; approximately 16 weeks after baseline). After pre‐treatment assessment, the patients will be randomly allocated to the modern neuroscience approach or usual care physiotherapy, as part of the RCT.