THE EFFICACY OF AN EIGHT-WEEK CORE STABILIZATION PROGRAM ON CORE MUSCLE FUNCTION AND ENDURANCE: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL.

Background: Body armor is credited with increased survival rates in soldiers but the additional axial load may negatively impact the biomechanics of the spine resulting in low back pain. Multiple studies have found that lumbar stabilization programs are superior to generalized programs for patients with chronic low back pain. It is not known if such programs produce objective changes in trunk muscle function with wear of body armor.

ULTRASOUND IMAGING MEASUREMENT OF THE TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS IN SUPINE, STANDING, AND UNDER LOADING: A RELIABILITY STUDY OF NOVICE EXAMINERS.

Background: Military personnel and first responders (police and firefighters) often carry large amounts of gear. This increased load can negatively affect posture and lead to back pain. The ability to quantitatively measure muscle thickness under loading would be valuable to clinicians to assess the effectiveness of core stabilization treatment programs and could aid in return to work decisions.

Chondrosarcoma of the Hip.

The patient was a 27-year-old woman who was being evaluated by a physical therapist 1 month following a right Achilles tendon repair. She reported the presence of a painful firm mass in her left hip that she first noticed approximately 6 months prior. As an initial assessment of the mass, the physical therapist ordered radiographs of the left hip, which revealed a mass projecting off the left lateral iliac bone.