Evaluating User Perceptions of a Vibrotactile Feedback System in Trunk Stabilization Exercises: A Feasibility Study.

Low back pain patients often have deficits in trunk stability. For this reason, many patients receive physiotherapy treatment, which represents an enormous socio-economic burden. Training at home could reduce these costs.

Ergonomic and Anthropometric Evaluation of Locally Manufactured Vehicle Seats.

Background: Most of the cars are imported as cargo vehicles and then converted into commercial passenger vehicles in Ethiopia. Seats are locally manufactured and installed as part of the conversion to passenger cars, with little regard permitted for the standard specifications required.

Objective: A descriptive survey, an ergonomics assessment of passenger seats was conducted, and subjective evaluations of seat comfort were collected.

Severe cerebral edema related to oral methadone: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Opioids are widely used for pain management, and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) has been evidenced in some cases. We reported a patient with severe cerebral edema after initiating methadone and its complete resolution upon discontinuing the medication. Additionally, a review of the literature is made.

Common differential diagnosis of low back pain in contemporary medical practice: a narrative review.

With a wide range of etiologies, low back pain (LBP) presents a true clinical challenge, finding its origins both in intrinsic spinal and systemic conditions, as well as referred ones. This review categorizes the LBP into these three groups and aims to offer a comprehensive look at the tools required to diagnose and differentiate them. The intrinsic etiologies are based on conditions that affect the musculoskeletal components of the lumbar spine, such as intervertebral disc disease, stenosis, muscular imbalance, and facet joint degeneration.

Changes of trunk muscle stiffness in individuals with low back pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions. People with LBP often display changes of neuromuscular control and trunk mechanical properties, including trunk stiffness. Although a few individual studies have examined back muscle stiffness in individuals with LBP, a synthesis of the evidence appears to be lacking.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide attenuated discogenic low back pain in rats possibly via inhibiting microglia activation.

Discogenic low back pain (DLBP) is a multifactorial disease and associated with intervertebral disc degeneration. Calcitonin gene-related protein (CGRP) plays a critical role in pain processing, while the role in DLBP remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the anti-nociceptive role and related mechanisms of CGRP in DLBP.

Influence of smoking on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients undergoing surgery for adult spinal deformity: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the isolated influence of smoking in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery excluding known tobacco-related complications.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospective multicenter ASD database. Patients operated on ASD with 2 year post-operative follow-up were included.

Finite Element Analysis of Stress Distribution and Range of Motion in Discogenic Back Pain.

Objective: Precise knowledge regarding the mechanical stress applied to the intervertebral disc following each individual spine motion enables physicians and patients to understand how people with discogenic back pain should be guided in their exercises and which spine motions to specifically avoid. We created an intervertebral disc degeneration model and conducted a finite element (FE) analysis of loaded stresses following each spinal posture or motion.

Methods: A 3-dimensional FE model of intervertebral disc degeneration at L4-5 was constructed.

Navigating the Landscape of Herniated Discs: A Rare Case of Herniated Disc Regression.

A herniated disc is a condition in which the nucleus pulposus is displaced from the intervertebral space. It usually leads to back pain, thus being the most common reason for it. Patients often describe the first symptoms of a herniated disc as extreme and decisive pain.

Unraveling the mechanisms of intervertebral disc degeneration: an exploration of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is a worldwide spinal degenerative disease. Low back pain (LBP) is frequently caused by a variety of conditions brought on by IDD, including IVD herniation and spinal stenosis, These conditions bring substantial physical and psychological pressure and economic burden to patients. IDD is closely tied with the structural or functional changes of the IVD tissue and can be caused by various complex factors like senescence, genetics, and trauma.

Involvement of peripheral mast cells in a fibromyalgia model in mice.

Fibromyalgia is a painful disorder of unknown aetiology that presents activation and recruitment of innate immune cells, including mast cells. Efforts have been made to understand its pathogenesis to manage it better. Thus, we explored the involvement of peripheral mast cells in an experimental model of fibromyalgia induced by reserpine.

Effect of low back pain on the kinetics and kinematics of the lumbar spine - a combined in vivo and in silico investigation.

Lifting is a significant risk factor for low back pain (LBP). Different biomechanical factors including spinal loads, kinematics, and muscle electromyography (EMG) activities have previously been investigated during lifting activities in LBP patients and asymptomatic individuals to identify their association with LBP. However, the findings were contradictory and inconclusive.

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonism Reduces Inflammatory Pain Measures in Mice Independent of the Receptors on Sensory Neurons.

Corticosteroids are commonly used in the treatment of inflammatory low back pain, and their nominal target is the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to relieve inflammation. They can also have similar potency at the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). The MR has been shown to be widespread in rodent and human dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons and non-neuronal cells, and when MR antagonists are administered during a variety of inflammatory pain models in rats, pain measures are reduced.

The influence of chair recline and head and neck position on upper trapezius activity and stiffness during seated computer work.

Increasing chair recline during seated computer work may reduce the load placed on the upper trapezius (UT), a common location of pain for those with idiopathic chronic neck pain. This study determined the effect of increasing chair recline on UT stiffness and muscle activity during computer work in people with and without idiopathic chronic neck pain. Surface electromyography and ultrasound shear wave elastography were collected from three subdivisions of the UT in 15 individuals with idiopathic chronic neck pain and 15 sex-matched healthy controls.

The mechanical response to hockey-specific running gait: implications for the objective monitoring of (p)rehabilitation.

Field hockey is characterized by a unique dribbling position which has been associated with a prevalence of low back pain and lumbar injury. To quantify the biomechanical response of the hockey-specific running gait, twelve field hockey players completed treadmill running at speeds of 6, 9 and 12 km·hr with a normal running gait and whilst manipulating the hockey stick to replicate dribbling. Mechanical loading was quantified using tri-axial accelerometery at L4, and muscular activity was measured for biceps femoris (BF), gluteus medius (GM) and quadratus lumborum (QL) of each limb.

The effect of cervical traction on stabilometric parameters in cervical radiculopathy patients: A randomized crossover study.

Background: Cervical traction is effective on pain and function in patients with cervical radiculopathy but its effectiveness on balance disorders has not yet been studied.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of mechanical intermittent cervical traction (MICT) on stabilometric parameters in patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Methods: This randomized crossover study assigned 20 patients with cervical radiculopathy to one of the two groups: Group effective traction (ET)/sham traction (ST) (n= 10) treated firstly with ET (traction force of 12 Kg) then with ST (traction force of 2 Kg) with one-week interval and group ST/ET (n= 10) treated invertedly with a ST then ET.

Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Expandable Cages.

Background: Minimally invasive surgical transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) is an increasingly common procedure for the treatment of lumbar degenerative pathologies. The MIS-TLIF technique often results in less soft-tissue injury compared with the open TLIF technique, reducing postoperative pain and recovery time. However, the narrow surgical aperture of this minimally invasive technique has increased the difficulty of interbody cage placement.

Trunk postural control during unstable sitting among individuals with and without low back pain: A systematic review with an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Introduction: Sitting on an unstable surface is a common paradigm to investigate trunk postural control among individuals with low back pain (LBP), by minimizing the influence lower extremities on balance control. Outcomes of many small studies are inconsistent (e.g.

Swimming Anatomy and Lower Back Injuries in Competitive Swimmers: A Narrative Review.

Context: Competitive swimmers are at high risk of overuse musculoskeletal injuries due to their high training volumes. Spine injuries are the second most common musculoskeletal injury in swimmers and are often a result of the combination of improper technique, high loads on the spine in strokes that require hyperextension, and repetitive overuse leading to fatigue of the supporting trunk muscles. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current evidence regarding swimming biomechanics, stroke techniques, and common injuries in the lumbar spine to promote a discussion on the prevention and rehabilitation of lower back injuries in competitive swimmers.

Hydrogel-Based Strategies for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration: Advances, Challenges and Clinical Prospects.

Millions of people worldwide suffer from low back pain and disability associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. IVD degeneration is highly correlated with aging, as the nucleus pulposus (NP) dehydrates and the annulus fibrosus (AF) fissures form, which often results in intervertebral disc herniation or disc space collapse and related clinical symptoms. Currently available options for treating intervertebral disc degeneration are symptoms control with therapy modalities, and/or medication, and/or surgical resection of the IVD with or without spinal fusion.

An Engineered Bionic Nanoparticle Sponge as a Cytokine Trap and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenger to Relieve Disc Degeneration and Discogenic Pain.

The progressive worsening of disc degeneration and related nonspecific back pain are prominent clinical issues that cause a tremendous economic burden. Activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) related inflammation is a primary pathophysiologic change in degenerative disc lesions. This pathological state is associated with M1 macrophages, apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPC), and the ingrowth of pain-related sensory nerves.

Stepwise reduction of bony density in patients induces a higher risk of annular tears by deteriorating the local biomechanical environment.

Background Context: The relationship between osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) remains unclear. Considering that annular tear is the primary phenotype of IDD in the lumbar spine, the deteriorating local biomechanical environment may be the main trigger for annular tears.

Purpose: To investigate whether poor bone mineral density (BMD) in the vertebral bodies may increase the risk of annular tears via the degradation of the local biomechanical environment.

Understanding the etiopathogenesis of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation: From clinical evidence to basic scientific research.

Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, as a leading cause of low back pain, productivity loss, and disability, is a common musculoskeletal disorder that results in significant socioeconomic burdens. Despite extensive clinical and basic scientific research efforts, herniation etiopathogenesis, particularly its initiation and progression, is not well understood. Understanding herniation etiopathogenesis is essential for developing effective preventive measures and therapeutic interventions.

Perceived comfort and tool usability during robot-assisted and traditional laparoscopic surgery: a survey study.

It is known that over half of previously surveyed surgeons performing Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery (RALS) and three-quarters of those performing Traditional Laparoscopic Surgery (TLS) experience intraoperative pain. This survey study aimed to expand upon the ongoing impact of that pain as well as perceived tool usability associated with TLS and RALS, for which considerably less documentation exists. A survey regarding the presence and impact, either immediate or ongoing, of intraoperative pain and Likert scale questions regarding tool usability was administered to TLS and RALS surgeons on the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) mailing list.