title: [Disability by cervical sprain I and II and the use of neck collar].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  cervical sprain or whiplash incidence has high costs in medical care, disabilities and work absences. The aim was to demonstrate that disability days caused by cervical sprain I and II are reduced without the use of neck immobilizer collar (NIC).
  
  
  METHODS
  a transverse study in 100 patients with cervical sprain I and II at the emergency room was evaluated. The use of the collar and disability days was measured. Descriptive statistics were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  patients treated with NIC and anti-inflammatory medications (AI) were 68 % of patients and 32 % of patients were treated without NIC and only with AI. The mean work absence was 11.75 days in 86 % of patients, 74.4 % used NIC. Within the patients (14 %) that had no work absence, only 28.6 % used NIC with a χ(2) = 11.63 and a p < 0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the days of disability and recovery were lower in patients who did not use the collar.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina Familiar 73, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Saltillo, Coahuila, México. mauricioyae@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Martha Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hernández-Sousa
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Avendaño
authors.forename: Annel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solís-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yáñez-Estrada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: collar; disability evaluation; whiplash injury