Hand forces exerted in 120 different combinations of foot positions, hand positions, and force directions were measured in a group of 15 male adults with acute low-back syndromes. The performances of these patients were contrasted with those of 29 healthy male adults who had been tested earlier. The major findings were: acute back syndrome patients, sometimes even including those with very severe pain, have considerable physical ability in many of the situations examined, often fully comparable to that of healthy subjects; generally, either patients were unable even to assume a given position, or else their performances were close to normal in all exercises in each position; the positions which a significant number of patients could not assume were those involving substantial trunk twisting, or combinations of bending and twisting.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Intradiskal pressure, intra-abdominal pressure and myoelectric back muscle activity related to posture and loading.

Intradiskal pressures, intra-abdominal pressures and myoelectric activities of posterior back muscles have been measured simultaneously in vivo in 4 subjects. Five different angles of forward flexion were studied while externally loading the trunk with 200N. At 30 degrees of forward flexion studies were made when the load was increased from 0 to 300N. Asymmetric loading was studied with the trunk erect, in lateral flexion and in rotation. The measurement parameter values all increased when the angle of flexion increased and when the external load was increased at a fixed angle of flexion. Linear relationships were established. During asymmetric loading pressure values and the myoelectric activity increased. The increase in myoelectric activity was comparatively greater on the contralateral side of the lumbar region and on the ipsilateral side of the thoracic region. The disk pressure, the intra-abdominal pressure, and the FRA-values were higher throughout when the trunk was loaded in rotation, than in lateral flexion.

Abdomen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adult scoliosis and back pain.

From available long-term follow-up studies of untreated scoliosis, there seems to be minimal risk of disabling back pain in adult patients who have lumbar curves. A review of all Swedish patients who in 1971 received disability pension because of scoliosis showed very few who had lumbar curves, significantly fewer and with curves of lesser degrees than patients who had thoracolumbar and thoracic curves. Those exhibiting lumbar curves were mostly 60 years of age or older and had curves around 25 degrees only, of the type that can arise as a result of osteoporosis and disc degeneration. Whether severe low-back pain occurs more often in adults who have lumbar curves than in those whose spines are straight is open to question, since calculations presented show approximately the same incidence of surgery performed for back pain in scoliotic patients and in those whose spines are straight. Because scoliosis surgery in the adult carries a high risk and long-term efficacy is unproved, all types of conservative measures must be tried before discussing an operation. Prophylactic surgery to prevent future back pain in young patients who have lumbar curves is not justified.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The bone mineral content and ultimate compressive strength of lumbar vertebrae.

The bone mineral content of 109 lumbar vertebrae from 36 different subjects was determined by dual photon absorptiometry. The mean age of the subjects was 58.5 years (range, 31 to 79 years). The ultimate strength of the vertebral bodies was determined during axial compression. Bone mineral content and ultimate compressive strength were correlated (r = 0.86) and the strength was found to increase linearly with increasing amounts of bone mineral content. No differences in this correlation were found in the four vertebral levels (L-4) included in the study, but a difference in this correlation was found between specimens taken from male and female subjects. The results make it possible to estimate the strength of a vertebral body from the knowledge of its bone mineral content as determined by dual photon absorptiometry and provide a basis of estimations of normal and abnormal amounts of bone mineral content in the vertebrae of the lumbar spine.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reduction of radiation dose in radiologic examination of patients with scoliosis.

In an attempt to reduce the radiation dose during the examination of scoliotic patients, several screen-film combinations have been compared with a conventional system used at present. Kodak's Lanex Regular screen with Kodak Ortho H film enables the dose to be reduced eight times without significant deterioration of the image quality. The dose to the mammary glands can be reduced further by a factor of five if posterior--anterior instead of anterior--posterior projection is used.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Variations in the nutrition of the canine intervertebral disc induced by motion.

In this experiment study, we have investigated some transport and metabolic parameters of the canine intervertebral disc induced by spinal motion. The movements of the spine were obtained during supervised exercise, where either moderate, violent, or specific movements were performed. The results show changes in the metabolic rates as well as in concentration profiles of metabolites of the exercised groups in comparison to the control group. An increasing aerobic metabolism was noted in the outer part of the annulus and in the central part of the nucleus pulposus, resulting in a reduction of the lactate concentration. These findings do indicate that spinal movements, over a longer period of time give rise to positive nutritional variations. Furthermore, the reported changes might be of significance also for the human lumbar disc problem, since previous studies have demonstrated nutritional similarities between the discs of dogs and men.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of sonography and myelography in clinically suspected spinal stenosis.

Anterio-posterior measurements of the subarachnoidal space of the lumbar spinal canal were obtained by myelography and by ultrasound. The correlation between the measurements is low and the distribution of the regression coefficient is considerable. The usefulness of diagnostic ultrasound as a screening procedure for patients with clinically suspected spinal stenosis, therefore, is limited. The noninvasive ultrasound method, nevertheless, has a certain value for selecting patients for myelography. An ultrasound measurement of 14 mm or more will exclude that the corresponding anterio-posterior measurement obtained at myelography is 8 mm or below.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: perinatal and environmental aspects in a Swedish population and their relationship to curve severity.

A perinatal and environmental survey was done on 551 adolescent patients with idiopathic thoracic scoliosis to determine if maternal age, paternal age, patient's sex, birth order, season of birth, birth weight, weight at 10 years, socioeconomic group, or population density influenced the severity of the curve. No difference between mild and severe scoliotic patients emerged in any of the factors. A significant difference between the study group and the general population was found in maternal age. Scoliosis was commoner in higher socioeconomic groups. The rate of illegitimacy among scoliotic patients was half that expected. None of the factors examined was of value in predicting curve severity.

Adolescent↗