The effect of warm-up with transcranial direct current stimulation on performance factors in collegiate golfers.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of warm-up using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on performance factors in collegiate golfers and to provide a scientific basis for the effectiveness and methodology of tDCS. We sought to compare the effects of tDCS as an additional treatment during warm-up. tDCS is generally activated when a small electric current is applied to the motor cortex of the cerebral cortex, which has been reported to be helpful in improving motor function.

Effect of adding abdominal bracing to spinal stabilization exercise on lumbar lordosis angle, extensor strength, pain, and function in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: A prospective randomized pilot study.

Trial Design: This study investigated the effect of adding abdominal bracing to spinal stability exercise in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). This prospective, randomized pilot study included 67 patients and was conducted at the sports medicine center of a single hospital.

Methods: The abdominal bracing group (ABBG) underwent spinal stability exercise with abdominal bracing (N = 33), comprising 50 minutes training twice a week for 24 weeks.

Diagnostic trends of preoperative venous thromboembolism and its clinical implications in patients who underwent surgery for degenerative spinal diseases.

Background Context: Although the risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients who undergo surgery for degenerative spinal disease has received attention, patients experiencing prolonged pain and disability while awaiting or considering surgery have not received adequate attention regarding the risk of VTE.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiology of preoperative VTE in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative spinal disease.

Design: Retrospective cohort study using a nationwide database.

Association between Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Parkinson's Disease in a Korean Population.

Few studies have shown an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) with the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and the pathophysiological mechanism for this association has not been unveiled. This study examined the relationship between PPI use and PD in a Korean population. We investigated 3026 PD patients and 12,104 controls who were matched by age, sex, income, and region of residence at a ratio of 1:4 in the Korean National Health Insurance Service, National Sample Cohort between 2002 and 2015.

Effects of Cool-Down Exercise and Cold-Water Immersion Therapy on Basic Fitness and Sport-Specific Skills among Korean College Soccer Players.

Background: We aimed to examine the effects of cool-down exercise and cold-water immersion therapy on agility, speed, power, balance, and sport-specific skill performance in college soccer players, and to provide baseline data for the development of effective recovery programs.

Methods: In August 2020, 21 male college soccer players in Seoul, Korea, were randomly divided into the following groups: control group (CG, n=7), cool-down exercise group (CDG, n=7), and cool-down exercise plus cold-water immersion group (CDCWG, n=7). Agility, speed, power, balance, and sport-specific skill performance were assessed before and after the intervention.

Effects of marine oligomeric polyphenols on body composition and physical ability of elderly individuals with sarcopenia: a pilot study.

Purpose: We aimed to identify the effects of marine oligomeric polyphenol (MOP) intake in elderly individuals with sarcopenia.

Methods: Older adults (aged 65 years or older) were recruited based on the diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia and were randomly assigned to the MOP intake group (n=10) or the placebo (PBO) intake group (n=10). To determine the effect of MOP intake received for four weeks, the pre- and post-intake body composition (weight, skeletal muscle mass, and bone density) and senior fitness tests were assessed.

Prediction of Recurrence in Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis by Artificial Neural Network Using Time-series Data of C-Reactive Protein: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 704 Patients.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop recurrence-prediction models of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO).

Summary Of Background Data: Prediction of recurrence in PVO is crucial to avoid additional prolonged antibiotic therapy and aggressive spinal surgery and to reduce mortality.

Effect of Dry-Land Core Training on Physical Fitness and Swimming Performance in Adolescent Elite Swimmers.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effect of a 12-week dry-land core training program on physical fitness and swimming performance in elite adolescent swimmers.

Methods: Thirty subjects were selected and assigned to the core training group (CTG, n=15) and the traditional weight training group (WTG, n=15) in Seoul, Korea, between Sep and Dec 2016. The field fitness test was performed to determine the isotonic maximum muscular strength (one repetition maximum of deadlift and cable pulldown), anaerobic power (Wingate test), core stability (sports-specific endurance plank), core muscular power (front abdominal power, side abdominal power), muscular endurance of limbs (push-up, endurance jump), and swim performance improvement (personal record).

Changes in sleep disturbance in patients with cervical myelopathy: comparison between surgical treatment and conservative treatment.

Background Context: The clinical symptoms of cervical myelopathy (CM) are closely associated with the risk factors of sleep disturbance, and its pathophysiological process is similar to that of spinal cord injury. Therefore, patients with CM are also expected to have sleep disturbance like patients with spinal cord injury, who typically have various types of sleep disorders. Fortunately, sleep disturbance in patients with CM is expected to respond well to treatment, and clinical studies are required to establish proper treatment strategies for CM patients with sleep disturbance.

Effect of a 12-Week Rehabilitation Exercise Program on Shoulder Proprioception, Instability and Pain in Baseball Players with Shoulder Instability.

Background: The shoulder joint has a wide range of motion, but is vulnerable to sport-related injuries. We aimed to evaluate the differences in the proprioception of the shoulder should instability, and shoulder pain in high school baseball players with shoulder instability following a 12-week rehabilitation exercise program.

Methods: We enrolled 13 baseball players with shoulder instability who visited the Orthopedics Department at Konkook University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea and 12 controls without shoulder instability.

Effects of Scapular Kinetic-Chain Exercise on Muscle Activity in Overhead-Pitching Baseball Players.

Background: We aimed to demonstrate the effect of 8 wk of scapular kinetic-chain exercise on muscle activity in collegiate baseball players diagnosed with scapular dyskinesis.

Methods: The subjects were career baseball players with at least a 7-year career assigned into either a SICK (S; scapular malposition, I; inferior border prominence, C; coracoid process pain, K; scapular dyskinesis; n=7) group or a normal group (n=16), respectively. The groups were further divided into SICK-Dominant, SICK-Non-Dominant, Normal-Dominant, and Normal-Non-Dominant to examine the dominant and non-dominant deviation of each group.

Risk factors for sleep disturbance in patients with cervical myelopathy and its clinical significance: a cross-sectional study.

Background Context: Sleep disturbance is highly prevalent in patients with spinal cord injury and is one of the most important clinical issues affecting their quality of life. However, it has not been properly measured or treated in patients with cervical myelopathy (CM), although most typical or atypical symptoms of CM are known to be risk factors for sleep disturbance. In addition, previous studies identified that the presence of sleep disturbance is unintentionally missed under the current evaluation process for degenerative spinal disease without direct investigation using validated tools for sleep.

Prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and analysis of the risk factors.

Background Context: Although sleep quality is indispensable for good quality of life, it has not been properly measured or treated in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Studies that investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances and identify high-risk patients are essential to help understand mechanisms of sleep disturbance in patients with LSS, develop multimodal treatment strategies, and eventually improve the clinical outcome for LSS.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence and status of sleep disturbance in patients with LSS and understand its mechanism by identifying the risk factors.

Treatment outcomes in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis who have cirrhosis.

Early diagnosis and proper treatment of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) in patients with cirrhosis is challenging to clinicians, and the mortality rate is expected to be high. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the treatment outcome in PVO patients with cirrhosis and to identify the predictors of their mortality. Mortality was divided into two categories, 30-day and 90-day mortality.

A Majority of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Can Be Prevented by Injury Prevention Programs: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trials With Meta-analysis.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programs (IPPs) are generally accepted as being valuable for reducing injury risk. However, significant methodological limitations of previous meta-analyses raise questions about the efficacy of these programs and the extent to which meeting current best-practice ACL IPP recommendations influences the protective effect of these programs.

Purpose: To (1) estimate the protective effect of ACL IPPs while controlling for common methodological limitations of previous meta-analyses and (2) systematically categorize IPP components and factors related to IPP delivery to assess the validity of current best-practice IPP recommendations.

Outcomes of additional instrumentation in elderly patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and previous spinal instrumentation.

Background Context: In patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) and previous instrumentation requiring surgical treatment, a decision must be made between a less-invasive noninstrumented surgery, including retaining the previous instrumentation, or a more invasive additional instrumented surgery involving the complete removal of the infected tissue and firm restabilization.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of using additional instrumentation in patients with PVO and previous instrumentation and determine the significant risk factors related to recurrent infection.

Study Design/setting: Retrospective cohort study (case control study).

Spinal Cord Changes After Laminoplasty in Cervical Compressive Myelopathy: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

Validation of the efficacy of decompression surgery in patients with cervical myelopathy (CM) is important in terms of the recovery of the integrity of the spinal cord. However, to date, no longitudinal study has addressed the underlying pathological changes using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in CM patients. This study aimed to determine the diffusion metrics at the lesion as well as below the lesion level longitudinally in CM patients following laminoplasty using DTI.

Clinical effect of early bisphosphonate treatment for pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis with osteoporosis: An analysis by the Cox proportional hazard model.

Background Context: Patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO) are expected to have an increased risk of bone loss. Therefore, early bisphosphonate therapy would be clinically effective for PVO patients with osteoporosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of bisphosphonate on clinical outcomes of PVO patients with osteoporosis.

Paraspinal Muscles of Patients with Lumbar Diseases.

Objective:  The treatment of atrophy or increased fat infiltration of the lumbar paraspinal muscles of patients with back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, or lumbar degenerative kyphosis is controversial. We review the literature on changes in the lumbar paraspinal muscles of these patients.

Methods:  We searched Medline for relevant English-language articles and retrieved 25 articles published from 1993 to 2017 on changes in the lumbar paraspinal muscles; 21 met our study criteria.

The functional relevance of diffusion tensor imaging in comparison to conventional MRI in patients with cervical compressive myelopathy.

Objective: To determine the functional relevance of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and conventional MRI (signal intensity change in T2, compression ratio) by measuring the correlation of these parameters with clinical outcome measured by the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score.

Materials And Methods: A total of 20 cervical myelopathy (CM) patients participated in this prospective cohort study. The severities of CM were assessed using the mJOA score.

The recovery of damaged paraspinal muscles by posterior surgical treatment for patients with lumbar degenerative diseases and its clinical consequence.

Background: Posterior lumbar surgery can lead to damage on paraspinal muscles.

Objective: Our study aimed to examine the recovery in the denervated paraspinal muscles by posterior lumbar surgery and to determine that of improvement in the lower back pain (LBP).

Methods: Depending on surgical treatments, the patients were divided into two groups: The group I (interspinous implantation with decompression) and II (posterior lumbar interbody fusion with decompression).

New Technique for C1 Double-Door Laminoplasty Using Allograft Spacers and Titanium Miniplate Screw Fixation: Technical Report.

Although conventional C1 laminectomy is the gold standard for decompression at the atlas, it provides little space for the bone graft to fuse. The fusion area can be extended cranially up to the occipital bone, but it requires sacrificing the function of the craniocervical junction. To date, no reports have focused on surgical techniques for successful decompression and fusion without disruption of the posterior C1 arch while providing enough room for the bone graft to fuse.

The impact of coronal alignment of device on radiographic degeneration in the case of total disc replacement.

Background Context: Numerous studies have been conducted on the importance of radiographic parameters after a total disc replacement (TDR). Most of them have focused on sagittal alignment. There has been no research on what influence the coronal alignment or tilting of device has on radiographic parameters.

The fate of heterotopic ossification associated with cervical artificial disc replacement.

Study Design: This is a retrospective study designed to observe the progressive appearance of heterotopic ossification (HO) after cervical artificial disc replacement (ADR).

Objective: To investigate the development and progressive appearance of HO at cervical ADR sites.

Summary Of Background Data: HO is defined as the formation of bone outside the skeletal system.

Acute spinal subdural hematoma after vigorous back massage: a case report and review of literature.

Study Design: A case report and review of literature.

Objective: We report on a patient with traumatic spinal subdural hematoma after vigorous back massage while on vacation.

Summary Of Background Data: Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma is extremely rare, and to our knowledge, this is the first case reported after violent back massage.