Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Pak Med Assoc 2019 Apr;69(4):564-566

Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences (FUIRS), Foundation University Islamabad.

During breastfeeding, lactating mothers adopt different positions that can cause musculoskeletal problems. The purpose of this study was to determine common breastfeeding positions and musculoskeletal problems in our population and the association between them. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 breast feeding mothers from hospitals, universities and community of Rawalpindi and Islamabad using a self structured questionnaire. Read More

Nanomaterials (Basel) 2019 Apr 3;9(4). Epub 2019 Apr 3.

School of Materials, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.

Treatments to alleviate chronic lower back pain, caused by intervertebral disc herniation as a consequence of degenerate annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue, fail to provide long-term relief and do not restore tissue structure or function. This study aims to mimic the architecture and mechanical environment of AF tissue using electrospun fiber scaffolds made from synthetic biopolymers-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA). Pure polymer and their blends (PCL%:PLLA%; 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80) are studied and material properties-fiber diameter, alignment, % crystallinity, tensile strength, and water contact angle-characterized. Read More

Int J Pharm 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden; SuMo BIOMATERIALS, VINN Excellence Center, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address:

The development of an injectable biomaterial that supports cell survival and maintains or promotes nucleus pulposus (NP) phenotype could aid delivery of cells to degenerated NPs causing low back pain. Mesenchymal cells were loaded and grown in a synthetic peptide gel, PuraMatrix®. Cells were observed within the gels over 0-28 days, and accumulation of glycosaminoglycans were detected by histological staining. Read More

Acute Med Surg 2019 Apr 21;6(2):101-108. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Faculty of Medicine University of Tsukuba Tsukuba Ibaraki Japan.

Aims: The State Behavioral Scale (SBS) was developed to assess sedation states, including agitation, in pediatric patients on mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a back-translated Japanese version of the SBS.

Methods: Translation was done by the back-translation method followed by a prospective study in a Japanese intensive care unit. Read More

Eur Spine J 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Department of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Purpose: To understand the typical presentation, risk factors, location and size, treatment, neurological recovery and survival of spontaneous spinal epidural haematomas (SSEH) in children.

Methods: A systematic review of the English literature from 1 January 1960 to 1 March 2018 was performed on children aged 18 years and younger. Individual patient data were extracted and collated. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Apr 9;9(1):5827. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.

Electrical stimulation of cells and tissues for therapeutic benefit is a well-established method. Although animal studies can emulate the complexity of an organism's physiology, lab-on-a-chip platforms provide a suitable primary model for follow-up animal studies. Thus, inexpensive and easy-to-use platforms for in vitro human cell studies are required. Read More

J Biomech Eng 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering. College of Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.

Multifidus function is important for active stabilization of the spine, but it can be compromised in patients with chronic low back pain and other spine pathologies. Force production and strength of back muscles are often evaluated using isometric or isokinetic tests, which lack the ability to quantify multifidi contribution independent of the erector spinae and adjacent hip musculature. The objective of this study is to evaluate localized force production capability in multifidus muscle using ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) in healthy individuals. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2019 Apr 9;20(1):155. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Graduate School, International University of Health and Welfare, 4-1-26 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-8402, Japan.

Background: Lumbar traction is a traditional treatment modality for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in many countries. However, its effectiveness has not been demonstrated in clinical practice because of the following: (1) the lack of in vivo biomechanical confirmation of the mechanism of lumbar traction that occurs at the lumbar spine; (2) the lack of a precise delivery system for traction force and, subsequently, the lack of reproducibility; and (3) few randomized controlled trials proving its effectiveness and utility.

Methods: This study was planned as a preparatory experiment for a randomized clinical trial, and it aimed (1) to examine the biomechanical change at the lumbar area under lumbar traction and confirm its reproducibility and accuracy as a mechanical intervention, and (2) to reconfirm our clinical impression of the immediate effect of lumbar traction. Read More

J Mater Sci Mater Med 2019 Apr 5;30(4):46. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Ramsay Générale de Santé, Hôpital privé Le Bois, 59000, Lille, France.

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD) is a leading source of chronic low back pain or neck pain, and represents the main cause of long-term disability worldwide. In the aim to relieve pain, total disc replacement (TDR) is a valuable surgical treatment option, but the expected benefit strongly depends on the prosthesis itself. The present contribution is focused on the synthetic mimic of the native IVD in the aim to optimally restore its functional anatomy and biomechanics, and especially its time-dependency. Read More

Saf Health Work 2019 Mar 21;10(1):3-20. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway.

This review aimed to identify risk factors for occupational accidents and illnesses among young workers in the Nordic countries and to attain knowledge on specific vulnerable groups within the young working force that may need special attention. We conducted a systematic review from 1994 to 2014 using five online databases. Of the 12,528 retrieved articles, 54 met the review criteria and were quality assessed, in which data were extracted focusing on identifying occupational safety, health risk factors, and vulnerable groups among the young workers. Read More

J Man Manip Ther 2019 May 5;27(2):66-72. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

c Department of Physiotherapy , Ben Gurion University , Beer Sheva , Israel.

Objectives: Determine whether the achievement of the centralization phenomenon on initial assessment of patients with low back pain (LBP) can be predicted by history and physical examination variables.

Methods: Ninety patients referred to physical therapy due to LBP completed pain, disability, and fear-avoidance questionnaires, followed by a complete history and a physical examination based on mechanical diagnosis and therapy principles. Patients were subsequently classified as centralizers or noncentralizers. Read More

J Man Manip Ther 2019 Mar 5:1-13. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

b Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science , University of Kansas Medical Center , Kansas City , KS , USA.

Objectives: The long-term goal of our study is to improve the understanding of the biological mechanisms associated with spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) in low back pain.

Methods: This project involved a pilot randomized, blinded clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT03078114) of 3-week SMT in chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) patients. Read More

Tissue Eng Part A 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu city, Anhui Province, China ;

Low back pain caused by degenerative disc disease affects many people worldwide and brings huge economical burden. Thus, attentions have focused on annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue engineering for treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration. To engineer a functional replacement for the AF, it is important to fabricate scaffolds which mimic the structural and mechanical properties of native tissue. Read More

Ergonomics 2019 Apr 1:1-30. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

a Department of Research and Development , Rehabilitation Center Heliomare , Wijk aan Zee , The Netherlands.

The objective of this study was to assess how wearing a passive trunk exoskeleton affects metabolic costs, movement strategy, and muscle activation during repetitive lifting and walking. We measured energy expenditure, kinematics, and muscle activity in 11 healthy men during 5 minutes of repetitive lifting and 5 minutes of walking with and without exoskeleton. Wearing the exoskeleton during lifting, metabolic costs decreased as much as 17%. Read More

Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2019 Mar 28:1-26. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

d Department of Mechanical Engineering , Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) , India.

Although lower back pain (LBP) is reported to be the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder related to the work (WMSD) amongst the workers, little systematic effort has been made to identify the factors and to determine their priority for the onset of LBP. In this paper, an attempt has been made to determine priority of LBP risk factors using a relatively new, simple and effective multi criteria decision making (MCDM) method i.e. Read More

J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Objective: There is a lack of knowledge regarding whether decompression is necessary in treating patients with epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) grade 2. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) without decompression and conventional open surgery (palliative laminectomy) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) spinal metastasis of ESCC grade 2.

Methods: Patients with HCC spinal metastasis requiring surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Read More

Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2019 Mar 1. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Department of Spine Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, People's Republic of China.

Study Design: The Lumbar facet joint (LFJ) osteoarthritis (OA) model that highly mimics the clinical conditions was established and evaluated.

Objective: Here, we innovatively constructed and evaluated the aberrant mechanical loading-related LFJ OA model.

Summary Of Background Data: Lumbar facet joint (LFJ) is the only true synovial joint in a functional spinal unit in mammals. Read More

JOR Spine 2018 Sep 30;1(3):e1029. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

AO Research Institute Davos Davos Switzerland.

Low back pain represents the highest burden of musculoskeletal diseases worldwide and intervertebral disc degeneration is frequently associated with this painful condition. Even though it remains challenging to clearly recognize generators of discogenic pain, tissue regeneration has been accepted as an effective treatment option with significant potential. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine offer a plethora of exploratory pathways for functional repair or prevention of tissue breakdown. Read More

J Phys Ther Sci 2019 Feb 7;31(2):195-201. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia, School of Health Sciences, South Australia.

[Purpose] To determine the short-term effects of thoracic manipulation, used alone or in conjunction with the Rungthip massage technique, on pain and neural extensibility in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. [Participants and Methods] Thirty participants were randomly allocated to the aforementioned two groups. Outcome measures were neck pain at rest assessed using the Visual Analog Scale, and elbow extension range of motion evaluated using Upper Limb Neurodynamic Test 1 prior to treatment and three weeks after it. Read More

Hum Mov Sci 2019 Apr 6;64:338-346. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Repetitive lumbopelvic rotation (LPR) during active limb movements has been indicated as a factor that contributes to low back pain (LBP). Prior studies suggest that people with LBP demonstrate greater and earlier LPR during limb movements in prone. We examined timing and magnitude of LPR during sitting active knee extension in people with and without LBP. Read More

PLoS One 2019 6;14(3):e0212681. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Univ Lyon, UJM Saint-Etienne, LIBM, CHU Saint-Etienne, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Saint-Etienne, France.

Lower back pain is a major public health problem. Despite claims that lumbar belts change spinal posture due to applied pressure on the trunk, no mechanical model has yet been published to prove this treatment. This paper describes a first model for belt design, based on the one hand on the mechanical properties of the fabrics and the belt geometry, and on the other hand on the trunk geometrical and mechanical description. Read More

Pain Med 2019 Mar 1. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Department of Radiology, Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Objectives: The presence of trigger points (MTrPs) and pressure pain sensitivity has been well documented in subjects with neck and back pain; however, it has yet to be examined in people with upper thoracic spine pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of MTrPs and mechanical pain sensitivity in individuals with upper thoracic spine pain.

Methods: Seventeen subjects with upper thoracic spine pain and 17 pain-free controls without spine pain participated. Read More

Int J Spine Surg 2019 Jan 22;13(1):17-23. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

School of Mechanical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Background: Symptomatic or asymptomatic transitional anomalies at the lumbosacral junction are common occurrences in the population. Lumbosacral (L5-S1) accessory articulations are the most common presentations of transitional anomalies at this region. Such anatomical alterations are believed to be associated with biomechanical changes of load-bearing and movement restrictions leading to low back pain. Read More

Med Hypotheses 2019 Mar 2;124:110-113. Epub 2019 Feb 2.

Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; Former Post-Doctoral Researcher, Ohio Musculoskeletal & Neurological Institute (OMNI), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University, Athens 45701, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) anomalies may present as bio-mechanical dysfunctions leading to low back pain (LBP). Unilateral or incomplete/partial LSTVs have been documented to be associated with significant sacroiliac joint (SIJ) joint asymmetries. Objective evaluation of outcomes from routine clinical testing for sacral dysfunctions on these subsets of LSTV cannot be found in the literature. Read More

J Biomech 2019 Mar 12;86:141-148. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Biorobotics and Biomechanics Lab (BRML), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.

Footwear devices that shift foot center of pressure (COP), thereby impacting lower-limb biomechanics to produce clinical benefit, have been studied regarding degenerative diseases of knee and hip joints, exhibiting evidence of clinical success. Ability to purposefully affect trunk biomechanics has not been investigated for this type of footwear. Fifteen healthy young male subjects underwent gait and electromyography analysis using a biomechanical device that shifts COP via moveable convex elements attached to the shoe sole. Read More

Turk J Med Sci 2019 Feb 11;49(1):249-257. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Background/aim: We aimed to compare the results of the treatment of the patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) by mechanical lysis and steroid hylase injection via epiduroscopy due to their stabilization status and to detect the effect of pathological diagnostic markers on prognosis and ongoing treatment protocol.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-two patients with FBSS symptoms were included. Two groups were composed as group I (stabilized) and group II (nonstabilized). Read More

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019 Apr 13;49(4):219-229. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Background: Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is a treatment-based classification system founded on 3 core principles: classification into diagnostic syndromes, classification-based intervention, and appropriate application of force. Many randomized controlled trials have investigated the efficacy of MDT for low back pain; however, results have varied. The inconsistent delivery of MDT across trials may explain the different findings. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 24;5(4):000808. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

Internal Medicine Service, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, E.P.E. - Viseu, Portugal.

Objectives: To report a case of mechanical aortic prosthesis endocarditis successfully treated with antibiotics alone.Materials and methods: We describe a clinical case and present a review of the literature.

Results: A 60-year-old female farmer with a mechanical aortic prosthetic valve presented with low back pain and fever. Read More

J Emerg Med 2019 Apr 8;56(4):e43-e46. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Background: Spontaneous spinal and intracranial subdural hematomas are rarely reported, especially occurring simultaneously. Anticoagulation use has been associated with spontaneous hemorrhages. Prompt diagnosis is required to prevent permanent neurological sequelae. Read More

Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 2018 Oct;21(13):712-721

b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA.

Low back pain (LBP) is the most common type of pain in America, and spinal instability is a primary cause. The facet capsular ligament (FCL) encloses the articulating joints of the spine and is of particular interest due to its high innervation - as instability ensues, high stretch values likely are a cause of this pain. Therefore, this work investigated the FCL's role in providing stability to the lumbar spine. Read More

Complement Ther Clin Pract 2019 Feb 10;34:64-69. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Objective: To test the efficacy of Gua Sha therapy in patients with chronic low back pain.

Methods: 50 patients with chronic low back pain (78% female, 49.7 ± 10. Read More

Neuroscience 2019 Mar 27;402:51-65. Epub 2019 Jan 27.

Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, ML0531, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0531, USA. Electronic address:

Low back pain is a common cause of chronic pain and disability. It is modeled in rodents by chronically compressing the lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) with small metal rods, resulting in ipsilateral mechanical and cold hypersensitivity, and hyperexcitability of sensory neurons. Sodium channels are implicated in this hyperexcitability, but the responsible isoforms are unknown. Read More

J Man Manip Ther 2019 Feb 12;27(1):33-42. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Department of Physical Therapy, Saitama Prefectural University, Saitama, Japan.

: To preliminarily investigate in patients with a primary complaint of non-acute knee pain for ≥ 1 month: 1) the proportion of patients with non-acute knee pain classified by Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) as Spinal Derangements, 2) the number of sessions taken to identify the concluding classification, and 3) the ability of MDT classifications, demographics, and symptomatic baselines to predict pain reduction at 1-month follow-up.: This study reviewed data from outpatients managed with MDT. For modeling knee pain reduction at the 1-month follow-up, 3 MDT provisional or concluding classifications (Spinal Derangement, Knee Derangement, and Non-Derangement) and the following variables were included: 1) gender, 2) symptom duration, 3) presence of low back pain (LBP), 4) the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure, 5) average pain intensity at the initial session using a 0-10 numerical rating scale, and 6) the Kellgren-Lawrence grade. Read More

Can Assoc Radiol J 2019 Feb;70(1):37-43

Interventional Musculoskeletal Radiology, Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma, USA.

Back pain is the second most common reason for primary-care physician visits after the common cold. New understanding of the spine pathophysiology and biomechanics led to the development of novel injectable biomaterials to treat those pain generators. Although not all biomaterials are currently ready for common use, there is significant interest by the medical community to invest time, resources, and energy to optimize these injectables. Read More

Acta Biomater 2019 Mar 25;87:118-129. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.

Low back pain results in more global disabilities than any other condition, and intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is commonly involved in the etiology. Supplementation of IVDs with reparative cells is a rational strategy to address such clinical problems. We have previously developed a scaffold-free tissue-engineered construct (TEC) as a novel cell therapy system for repair of articular cartilage and meniscus. Read More

J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Institute of Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637000, People's Republic of China.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain in the clinic. In the advanced stage of IDD, both cell transplantation and gene therapy have obvious limitations. At this stage, tissue-engineered IVDs (TE-IVDs) provide new hope for the treatment of this disease. Read More

PLoS One 2019 24;14(1):e0210429. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Sports Medicine and Sports Nutrition, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

Background: The prevalence of back pain in athletes has been investigated in several studies, but there are still under- or uninvestigated sports discipline like sports exposed to repetitive overhead activity. Elite athletes spend much time in training and competition and, because of the nature of their disciplines, subject their bodies to a great deal of mechanical strain, which puts a high level of stress on their musculoskeletal systems. From this it is hypothesized that elite athletes who engage in repetitive overhead motions experience a higher strain on their spine and thus possibly a higher prevalence of back pain compared with an active control group. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Jan 22;12(1). Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Accident and Emergency, Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, Bedford, UK.

A 68-year-old man on apixaban presented to the emergency department with back pain following a long-haul flight. Investigations for pulmonary embolus and aortic dissection were negative and he was discharged with analgesia for mechanical back pain. He presented three more times with worsening back pain, third time with urinary retention and the fourth time with lower limb weakness and loss of coordination. Read More

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Background: Neural mobilization is an effective technique in the management of cervical radiculopathy (CR). However, the difference between active versus passive upper extremity (UE) neural mobilization techniques in the management of cervical radiculopathy is not well established.

Objective: To determine the role of active versus passive UE neural mobilization in females with cervical radiculopathy. Read More

J Biomech 2019 Feb 9;84:172-182. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Julius Wolff Institute, Germany. Electronic address:

Intervertebral disc degeneration is one major source of low back pain, which because of its complex multifactorial nature renders the treatment challenging and thus necessitates extensive research. Experimental animal models have proven valuable in improving our understanding of degenerative processes and potentially promising therapies. Currently, the sheep is the most frequently used large animal in vivo model in intervertebral disc research. Read More

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2019 Mar 20;91:383-390. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK.

The degeneration of the intervertebral disc is one of the principal causes of low back pain. Total disc replacement is a surgical treatment that aims to replace the degenerated disc with a dynamic implant to restore spine biomechanics. This paper proposes the first design of an elastomeric lumbar disc replacement that is implanted as a pair of devices via unilateral transforaminal surgical approach. Read More

J Exerc Rehabil 2018 Dec 27;14(6):1041-1047. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan, Italy.

To clarify the significance of mechanical impairments, pain, and functional limitations as predictors of chronic low back pain (LBP). Ninety patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) were prospectively studied with clinical tests and questionnaires. Changes in muscle extensibility and endurance tests were evaluated and changes assessed in LBP intensity on numeric rating scale 0-10 and severity with Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) 0-100. Read More

Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the changes occurring in the thickness of deep trunk muscles, measured using ultrasound imaging, after four weeks of lumbosacral orthosis (LSO) use in conjunction with routine physical therapy.

Design: This parallel-group, randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 44 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain (CLBP), randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups. Both groups received eight sessions of physical therapy twice per week for four weeks. Read More

J Hip Preserv Surg 2018 Dec 27;5(4):393-398. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY, USA.

Locating the source of lumbopelvic-hip pain requires the consideration of multiple clinical pathways. Although low back pain has an incidence of 50% in the adolescent population, the pathophysiology in this population typically differs from that of other age groups. Dynamic mechanical impairments of the hip, such as femoroacetabular impingement, may contribute to the pathogenesis of adolescent low back pain. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2019 Jan 14;12(2). Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.

Disc degeneration affects 12% to 35% of a given population, based on genetics, age, gender, and other environmental factors, and usually occurs in the lumbar spine due to heavier loads and more strenuous motions. Degeneration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) within reduces mechanical integrity, shock absorption, and swelling capabilities of the intervertebral disc. When severe enough, the disc can bulge and eventually herniate, leading to pressure build up on the spinal cord. Read More

Nat Rev Rheumatol 2019 Feb;15(2):102-112

Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is associated with low back pain. In IVDs, a high mechanical load, high osmotic pressure and hypoxic conditions create a hostile microenvironment for resident cells. How IVD homeostasis and function are maintained under stress remains to be understood; however, several research groups have reported isolating native endogenous progenitor-like or otherwise proliferative cells from the IVD. Read More