The Incidence of Adjacent Segment Breakdown in Polysegmental Thoracolumbar Fusions of Three or More Levels with Minimum 5-Year Follow-up.

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objective To identify the incidence of adjacent segment pathology (ASP) after thoracolumbar fusion of three or more levels, the risk factors for the development of ASP, and the need for further surgical intervention in this particular patient population. Methods A retrospective analysis of a prospective surgical database identified 217 patients receiving polysegmental (≥ 3 levels) spinal fusion with minimum 5-year follow-up.

Transforaminal epidural steroid injections prevent the need for surgery in patients with sciatica secondary to lumbar disc herniation: a retrospective case series.

Background: The median orthopedic surgery wait time in Canada is 33.7 weeks, thus alternative treatments for pathologies such as lumbar disc herniations (LDH) are needed. We sought to determine whether transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) alleviate or merely delay the need for surgery.

Differences in abdominal muscle activation patterns of younger and older adults performing an asymmetric leg-loading task.

Objectives: To determine whether differences exist between younger (20-50 years) and older adults (>65 years) in abdominal muscle amplitudes, temporal patterns, and three-dimensional (3D) pelvic motion, while performing an asymmetric leg-loading task.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Neuromuscular function laboratory.

The feasibility of measuring the activation of the trunk muscles in healthy older adults during trunk stability exercises.

Background: As the older adult population increases, the potential functional and clinical burden of trunk muscle dysfunction may be significant. An evaluation of risk factors including the impact of the trunk muscles in terms of their temporal firing patterns, amplitudes of activation, and contribution to spinal stability is required. Therefore, the specific purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of measuring the activation of trunk muscles in healthy older adults during specific leg exercises with trunk stabilization.

Assessment of neuromuscular and haemodynamic activity in individuals with and without chronic low back pain.

Background: Biering-Sørenson (1984) found that individuals with less lumbar extensor muscle endurance had an increased occurrence of first episode low back pain. As a result, back endurance tests have been recommended for inclusion in health assessment protocols. However, different studies have reported markedly different values for endurance times, leading some researchers to believe that the back is receiving support from the biceps femoris and gluteus maximus.