Whiplash – trauma caused
by accidents
6th Lausanne International
Symposium of Osteopathy
Saturday 14 November 2009 at the University
of Lausanne
Sunday 15 November - Workshops
6th Lausanne International Symposium of Osteopathy
“Whiplash – trauma caused by accidents”
The Committee of the Lausanne International Symposium is pleased to invite you to the 6th International
Congress at the University of Lausanne. It is organised by a team with many years’ experience, enthusiastic
as ever in bringing together professionals from all over the world.
Our subject this year is: ‘Whiplash – trauma caused by accidents’. The systematic observation of this kind of
indirect cervical trauma resulting from an abrupt change of speed appears to go back to the 2nd World War,
when it occurred in American Naval Air Force pilots as their planes were catapulted from aircraft carriers.
The military quickly adopted a head support and trunk harness system. This trauma process caused by ‘ac-
celeration-deceleration’ seems to have been labelled ‘whiplash’ in the 1950s. Vehicle manufacturers only
began to make widespread use of protective designs for cars in the 1980s. There is a wealth of international
literature available from the last twenty years or so on the aetiology of the complaint, especially when it
becomes chronic. The general and methodological approach to symptoms, in the osteopathy field seems to
produce satisfactory results in treating this injury, which extends to regions beyond the cervical vertebrae.
We are delighted to welcome some very notable speakers today.
They will be introduced by Dr. M. Waldbuger and Mr N. Marcer, acting as moderators for the day.
Fabienne Maus Talon
Organising Committee Director
A car accident, a child shoved in the back by a school friend, a poorly controlled fall whilst skiing, etc…, are
some of the forms of whiplash we meet in our surgeries every week. Treated quickly, these whiplash injuries
have few long term consequences for the patient, as long as no struc