Wearing a soft collar after a whiplash-associated disorder: which statement is true?

• A. Wearing a soft collar for less than four hours per day can improve function after a motor vehicle accident.
• B. If patients wear a soft collar but also perform strengthening exercises for the upper quarter, outcomes are better than strengthening without a collar.
• C. Individuals who wear a soft collar after a motor vehicle accident are more likely to take prolonged time off work
• D. Wearing a soft collar for two weeks after a motor vehicle accident leads to decreased pain and improved disability at six months

Answer: (C)

Immobilization with a soft cervical collar after whiplash tends to slow recovery by restricting movement and letting neck muscles and proprioception weaken, so recovery with a return-to-work can be prolonged. Early, active rehabilitation and targeted strengthening support better recovery than prolonged collar use, which is why wearing a soft collar is associated with longer time off work. The other ideas assume a short-term or combined benefit from the collar that isn’t supported by evidence—brief collar use doesn’t reliably improve function, adding a collar to strengthening doesn’t outperform strengthening alone, and two weeks of collar use hasn’t been shown to reduce pain or disability at six months.