Does a single dose of intravenous dexamethasone reduce Symptoms in Emergency department patients with low Back pain and RAdiculopathy (SEBRA)? A double-blind randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of a single dose of intravenous dexamethasone in addition to routine treatment on visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at 24 h in emergency department (ED) patients with low back pain with radiculopathy (LBPR).

Methods: Double-blind randomised controlled trial of 58 adult ED patients with LBPR, conducted in one tertiary and one urban ED. The intervention was 8 mg of intravenous dexamethasone (or placebo) in addition to current routine care.

A prospective evaluation of missed injuries in trauma patients, before and after formalising the trauma tertiary survey.

Objective: This study prospectively evaluated in-hospital and postdischarge missed injury rates in admitted trauma patients, before and after the formalisation of a trauma tertiary survey (TTS) procedure.

Methods: Prospective before-and-after cohort study. TTS were formalised in a single regional level II trauma hospital in November 2009.

Tertiary survey performance in a regional trauma hospital without a dedicated trauma service.

Background: Initial management of trauma patients is focused on identifying life- and limb-threatening injuries and may lead to missed injuries. A tertiary survey can minimise the number and effect of missed injuries and involves a physical re-examination and review of all investigations within 24 h of admission. There is little information on current practice of tertiary survey performance in hospitals without a dedicated trauma service.

The immediate effect of unilateral lumbar Z-joint mobilisation on posterior chain neurodynamics: a randomised controlled study.

Hamstring strain (HS) is a common musculoskeletal condition and abnormal neurodynamics has been shown to influence HS and delay recovery. The efficacy of stretching for preventing and treating HS remains uncertain despite extensive research and wide-spread use. The effects of cervical spine mobilisation on peripheral nervous system function, neurodynamics and muscle force in the upper limb have been reported.