Intramuscular pressure, tissue oxygenation, and muscle fatigue of the multifidus during isometric extension in elite rowers with low back pain.

Context: Chronic low back pain (LBP) has been reported with a high incidence in elite rowers. It results in less effective training, long interruptions in training, and a drop in performance.

Objective: The authors hypothesized that exercise-induced LBP in rowers is caused by a chronic functional compartment syndrome (CFCS) of the multifidus muscle.

Deceleration during 'real life' motor vehicle collisions - a sensitive predictor for the risk of sustaining a cervical spine injury?

Background: The predictive value of trauma impact for the severity of whiplash injuries has mainly been investigated in sled- and crash-test studies. However, very little data exist for real-life accidents. Therefore, the predictive value of the trauma impact as assessed by the change in velocity of the car due to the collision (DeltaV) for the resulting cervical spine injuries were investigated in 57 cases after real-life car accidents.

Grade II whiplash injuries to the neck: what is the benefit for patients treated by different physical therapy modalities?

Background: In a majority of cases, whiplash injuries are a domain of conservative therapy. Nevertheless it remains unclear whether physical therapy is of medical or economic benefit in patients with whiplash injuries.

Methods: Seventy patients with acute Quebec Task Force (QTF) grade II whiplash injuries were randomized to two therapy groups and received either active (APT) or passive (PPT) physical therapy.

Reliability of a new virtual reality test to measure cervicocephalic kinaesthesia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the cervicocephalic kinaesthesia of healthy subjects for gender and age effects and its reliability in a new virtual reality test procedure. 57 healthy subjects (30 male, 27 females; 18-64 years) were immersed into a virtual 3D scene via a headmounted display, which generated specific head movements. The joint repositioning error was determined in a static and dynamic test at the times T0, T1 (T0+10 minutes) and T2 (T0+24 hours).

Postural control deficit in acute QTF grade II whiplash injuries.

Study Design: Experimental in vivo study.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the balance control in patients with acute QTF grade II whiplash injuries of the cervical spine.

Summary Of Background Data: Tetra-ataxiametric posturography in chronic pain patients after whiplash injuries of the cervical spine has revealed an impaired regulation of balance.

Risk of injury of the cervical spine in sled tests in female volunteers.

Background: The description of cervical spine motion and the risk to sustain a cervical spine injury is mainly based on cadaver studies. As the active influence of soft tissue is neglected in cadaver studies, our understanding of the kinematic model for whiplash is limited. Therefore the objective of this study was, to describe the in vivo cervical spine motion and acceleration during rear-end sled collisions to identify sequences of motion in which the risk of injury to the cervical spine is increased.

Comparison of the relative benefits of 2 versus 10 days of soft collar cervical immobilization after acute whiplash injury.

Objective: To investigate the effects of 2-day and 10-day immobilization of the cervical spine on pain, range of motion (ROM), and disability of patients with Quebec Task Force (QTF) grade II whiplash injuries.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: University hospital emergency department.

Device-assisted muscle strengthening in the rehabilitation of patients after surgically stabilized vertebral fractures.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of a device-assisted muscle strengthening exercise program on the surgically traumatized multifidus musculature and on the intact longissimus and iliocostal muscles and to assess the possible relationship between patients' reported pain symptoms and changes in muscle strength or changes in cross-sectional area (CSA) of the musculature.

Design: Open, prospective noncontrolled prepost intervention study.

Setting: University-affiliated center for ambulant physiotherapy.

Surface electromyography of the paravertebral muscles in patients with chronic low back pain.

Objective: To investigate the differences in the electromyographic signals of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and healthy subjects.

Design: Cross-sectional study with a matched-pair design.

Setting: University hospital.