Samenvatting

Study Design
Controlled laboratory study.

Background
Chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) is an important health issue associated with poor recovery outcomes. Sensorimotor incongruence (SMI), defined as a mismatch between the efference copy in the brain and afferent sensory feedback from the body, is proposed as a possible underlying cause of chronic pain.

Objectives
To determine whether SMI causes sensory disturbances or pain in people with chronic WAD and healthy controls.

Methods
Sixty-four participants (30 with chronic WAD and 34 healthy controls) participated in a visual feedback experiment involving the neck and a bimanual coordination experiment involving the arms. In both experimental setups, SMI was induced by modifying the visual feedback during movement. Sensory disturbances and pain were the primary outcomes.

Results
A statistically significant difference in perceived sensory disturbance between conditions was found in the WAD group (P