Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Back”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,513 records · Page 84Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Reliability of the medical outcomes study short-form survey version 2.0 (Thai version) for the evaluation of low back pain patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the reliability of Thai version of the medical outcomes study short-form survey version 2.0 (SF-36V2) in low back pain patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors developed the Thai version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Survey version 2.0 (SF-36V2) and tested it in 100 low back pain patients. Reliability of the Thai version of SF-36V2 was assessed by internal consistency using Chronbach's alpha coefficient and item-scale correlation. RESULTS: The authors demonstrated that the Chronbach's alpha coefficient of the physical health and mental health summary scales were 0.93 and 0.92 respectively. The Chronbach's alpha coefficient of eight scales in the Thai version of the SF-36V2 ranging was 0.72 - 0.94. The Chronbach's alpha coefficient tested in acute or chronic low back pain patients whether they have back pain only or back pain with radiculopathy ranging was 0.72-0.93. The item correlation coefficient for the 35 items within the eight health aspects ranged from 0.43 to 0.8. CONCLUSION: The Thai version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Survey version 2.0 (SF-36V2) is a reliable tool for assessing functional disability of low back pain in Thai patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Surgical treatment for lumbar discogenic low back pain].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the curative effect of surgical treatment for lumbar discogenic low back pain. METHODS: Forty-two patients with lumbar discogenic low back pain were treated with disc excision and lumbar interbody fusion: 12 of them were treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), 30 with afront lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). The clinical results were evaluated by pre- and post-operative visual analogue scale (VAS), and the fusion rates of the lumbosacral spine were evaluated by X-ray. RESULTS: The average follow-up period was 18 months, ranging from 6 to 36 months. Low back pain basically disappeared in 11 patients treated with PLIF, with mild back pain in one patient; VAS after the operation decreased significantly in comparison with that preoperatively (P<0.01). Low back pain basically disappeared in 28 patients treated with ALIF; VAS after the operation decreased significantly in comparison with that preoperatively (P<0.01). The fusion rate was 90% in patients treated with PLIF, and 93% in patients with ALIF. CONCLUSION: Disc excision and interbody fusion is effective in the treatment of lumbar discogenic low back pain, but the operation indications should be paid attention to.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Low-back pain, its origin and risk indicators.

Low-back pain is a common ailment. Much is known of the pain-sensitive structures of the low back, but for a patient with acute low-back pain the cause can rarely be defined. Although the biochemical properties of the intervertebral discs and their degenerative changes have been unraveled, it is difficult to distinguish between pathological degeneration and normal changes due to aging. As a consequence of the problems in diagnosing back diseases, the most common measure of low-back morbidity in epidemiologic studies has been the occurrence of symptoms. A wide spectrum of work- and individual-related factors have been found to be associated with low-back pain, but little is known about the extent to which these factors are etiologic and the extent to which they are symptom-precipitating or symptom-aggravating.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1990

Decreased joint and spinal mobility associated with low back pain in young adults.

Anthropometric factors, spinal and limb-joint mobility, and trunk strength were measured in young students--55 men and 48 women (mean age 21.4 years, SD 1.6). Twenty-six of the men and 29 of the women had had back pain during the preceding year and they were compared with those without back pain. In the male back-pain group, extension, lateral flexion and the sum of mobility in the lumbar spine, and hip flexion and external rotation of the shoulders were significantly smaller. In the female back-pain group, extension and the sum of mobility in the thoracic spine, and extension, external rotation, and the sum of mobility in the hips were significantly diminished. Anthropometric factors and trunk strength had no significant relationship with a history of back pain except for a pronounced lordosis in women. The results suggest that ligamentous or capsular stiffness of the joints may be associated with low back pain in young adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Secretary back syndrome.

Secretary Back Syndrome, the title appropriate and descriptive, the concept original and useful, describes an intermittent, recurrent, symmetrical low-back pain induced by swivel-chair exposure. The swivel chair, by its very mechanical nature, frequently invites poor posture, causing a symmetrical, recurrent, lumbo-sacral strain. Swivel-chair exposure, transiency and recurrence of low-back pain, i.e. weekend and vacation recovery, physical finding of symmetrical low-back tenderness and spasm, and relatively unremarkable X-ray findings, all serve to support the above stated syndrome. The treatment requires abstinence of swivel-chair exposure, an obvious, to-date, hidden occupational hazard, and a switch to the time-honored stationary chair in order to affect a total and permanent recovery. Secretary Back Syndrome is a valuable diagnostic concept if appropriately suspected and included in the differential diagnosis and treatment of low-back pain.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1989

Randomized controlled trial of an educational booklet for patients presenting with back pain in general practice.

A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate an educational booklet on back pain for patients presenting to five group practices during one calendar year. The booklet had no immediate effect on consultations for back pain, but in the period from two weeks to one year after presentation significantly fewer patients in the group receiving the booklet consulted with back pain (35.6%) than in the control group (42.2%) (P less than 0.05). There were no significant differences between the booklet and control groups in certified absence from work owing to back pain. Referral to hospital, referral to physiotherapy, admissions to hospital and laminectomies were all less common in the booklet group. The reduction in the combined referral rate to physiotherapy and hospital, and the reduction in laminectomy rate almost reached statistical significance at the 5% level. In replying to a questionnaire sent one year after entry to the study 94.1% of respondents in the booklet group said that they had read the book, 84.0% said that they found it useful, and 68.0% said that they still had a copy. Scores on a 15-item test of knowledge about back pain were significantly higher in the group of patients who had received the booklet than in the control group. The results suggest that the booklet had some effect in altering both the knowledge and behaviour of patients with back pain. The provision of an educational booklet was a method of giving information which was appreciated by both patients and doctors.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Advances in low-back pain.

At the present time there is an epidemic of low-back pain in most industrialized countries. The exact origin of pain is unknown, and probably many structures can play a role. The natural history is extremely good. Only 10% suffer disabling back pain for more than six weeks; nearly 60% return to work within one week. The benefits of motion in the healing process of various connective tissues can be applied also for the back pain sufferer; in addition, the nutrition of the intervertebral disc is improved by moderate motion. Biomechanical factors with epidemiologically proven negative effects for the back pain sufferer have been measured and delineated. Thus, guided activation of large muscle groups is a benefit for the structures of the back as well as the body's own pain-reducing enkephalins. Present knowledge includes a detrimental effect of prolonged inactivation, including long-term bed rest and inactivity, which should be avoided. Better treatment methods, particularly in the surgical field, will evolve from technical advances in the diagnostic field. For the majority of the low-back pain patients who do not need surgical treatment, help will come in the next decade from a collaborative effort from politicians, industrial leaders and engineers, physicians, psychologists, and biomechanicians.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Back school and chiropractic practice.

The back school as a method for teaching back pain prevention and self-care is discussed. Methods of developing and utilizing back schools are examined, and a review of research investigating the use of back school is presented. Future trends in back school are discussed. It is concluded that back schools can play an important part in the chiropractic office.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1986

Low back pain disorders: lumbar fusion?

The role of lumbar spine arthrodesis in the treatment of low back pain disorders remains a highly disputed and controversial subject. There are no clear-cut indications for lumbar spine fusion in lumbar degenerative disc disease. In fact, lumbosacral fusion when added to appropriate decompressive surgery has failed on careful statistical analysis to significantly improve the results over decompressive surgery alone. Moreover, in several large series in the literature of lumbosacral fusion in conjunction with discectomy, the results in patients who developed a pseudoarthrosis did as well as matched cases who obtained an excellent arthrodesis. These results should not be surprising since there does not appear to exist a generally accepted operational definition of mechanical (lumbar instability) pain. The author, however, is of the opinion that lumbosacral arthrodesis will prove to have a definite, albeit small, role in the management of the intractable and incapacitating low back pain disorders. This is based on personal clinical experience and the belief that the phenomenon of intractable and incapacitating mechanical low back pain syndromes do exist. Carefully performed prospective clinical studies are requisite to define the mechanical low back pain syndrome and the role of lumbar arthrodesis in the treatment of the low back pain disorders. Given our present limitations, the author suggests that lumbosacral arthrodesis be reserved for patients suffering spondylotic low back pain syndromes who have the following characteristics: intractable and disabling pain; primary complaint of segmental mechanical pain; radiologic evidence consistent with "instability"; minimal or no segmental disease above proposed site of arthrodesis; and minimal or absent psychosocial-economic pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Low back pain during pregnancy.

All pregnant women from a well defined area (the central district of the County of Ostergötland, Sweden) attending antenatal clinics over a period of seven months were interviewed with regard to low back pain during pregnancy. Of 862 women who answered the questionnaires, about half developed some degree of low back pain. Seventy-nine women who were unable to continue their work because of severe low back pain were referred to an orthopedic surgeon for an orthoneurologic examination. The most common reason for severe low back pain was dysfunction of the sacroiliac joints. Physically strenuous work and previous low back pain were factors associated with an increased risk of developing low back pain and sacroiliac dysfunction during pregnancy.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1987

Prevalence of back pain in chiropractors.

An epidemiological survey was made of the prevalence of back pain in a sample of 320 Canadian chiropractors. In addition, demographic, postural and other variables were studied to determine their effect on back pain. The overall prevalence of back pain was 87%. Low back pain was claimed by 74% of responding chiropractors. It was found that male chiropractors complained most frequently of lumbar pain, while among female respondents thoracic pain was most common. No apparent correlation was found between back pain and operating postures or table heights. Yet, 82% of the chiropractors that believed their back pain was aggravated by practice made these kinds of changes to avoid pain.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low back pain: risk evaluation and preplacement screening.

As screening tests in a currently asymptomatic population, all of the available methods for predicting low back pain and disability have serious technical, ethical and legal limitations. From a technical point of view, none of the predictive tests appear to have sufficient sensitivity or specificity to justify routine usage. The most sensitive indicator (a past history of low back pain) lacks reliability and specificity. Muscle strength-testing may be predictive of future musculoskeletal injury as part of a well-designed program that considers specific job demands in relation to specific worker capabilities. Unfortunately, the conditions necessary for a well designed program--a large number of predictable high-risk jobs that have measurable specific demands that can be reproduced reliably in a testing situation--are rarely met. In the future, the use of computer-assisted multivariate models analogous to those used in the prediction of cardiovascular risk may be capable of integrating information about an individual's medical history, physical exam, physical capacity and other tests with specific job requirements to give us a more accurate prediction of the future risk of back pain and disability. If such predictive models are ever developed and verified, it would then be appropriate to examine various interventions and their effectiveness in modifying risks for the population and the individual worker. From a legal point of view, all of the techniques described hold potential for significant discrimination against legally protected groups. Making employment decisions with regard to a past history of low back pain or on the basis of an x-ray will lead to systematic age discrimination and discrimination against the handicapped. The use of muscle strength-testing will systematically discriminate against women and certain ethnic groups. The ethical implications of predictive screening for low back pain clearly depends on what is done with the information that is garnered from such tests. If the information is used only to make a safe job placement for an individual, and this placement does not affect the individual's salary or future job possibilities, then the testing program may have a net social value to the extent that it leads to true prevention of low back pain and disability. If the tests are used merely to reduce employer liability by refusing employment to those who are thought to be at "high risk," the technical, legal and ethical limitations will far outweigh any perceived benefits.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1985

Intra-abdominal pressure and trunk muscle activity during lifting. II. Chronic low-back patients.

The aim of this study was to compare trunk muscle strength and intra-abdominal pressure during lifting in low-back patients and in healthy controls. Twenty male workers with 2-18 year history (median 5.5 years) of low-back pain went through strength tests of trunk flexion and extension and a series of standardized lifts. The intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and the EMG activity of the oblique abdominal muscles and of the erector spinae muscles were recorded. The results were compared with those in 20 healthy men exposed to similar loads at work and at leisure. The low-back patients had reduced abdominal muscle strength (-25%) compared with the healthy controls. The IAP during lifting was the same in the two groups despite the difference in abdominal muscle strength. The trunk extension strength was the same in the two groups. The oblique abdominal muscles were only moderately activated during lifting (5-15% of maximum activity with 25 kg) both in low-back patients and in healthy controls. The erector spinae muscle was strongly activated during lifting (40-60% of maximum activity with 25 kg) both in low-back patients and in healthy controls. During backlifting the duration of erector spinae activity varied. Back patients had extended activity compared with the healthy controls. Stiffness seemed to affect the duration of activity in both groups. The oblique abdominal muscles seem to be of no decisive importance to the IAP.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1985

Acute, subacute and chronic low back pain: clinical symptoms, absenteeism and working environment.

In this study the relationship between low back pain and the following factors was studied: Clinical findings, frequency and duration of absenteeism, social situation, psychosomatic and psychological factors and the working environment. The sample studied included 220 persons (participation frequency 86%) between the ages of 16-65 who had either acutely declared themselves unable to work because of low back pain (acute patients, n = 50) or who had been ill because of low back pain for one month (subacute patients, n = 50) or for three months (chronic patients, n = 70). A control group (n = 50) consisting of persons who had not been absent at all from work the last year was also included. Information regarding the participants' socio-economic situation, previous and present illnesses, further sick-listing during the one year follow-up period and the duration of absenteeism was obtained from the records of the Department of Health Insurance. The median age for men (68%) in the four different groups was 46, 46, 46 and 48.5, respectively. The corresponding figures for women were 50, 33, 33 and 49 years. Twenty percent were of foreign extraction. The proportion of foreigners in the group of non-participants (n=33) was higher (39%) and in this group there was a significantly greater frequency of previous episodes of ill health of short duration (less than or equal to 7 days + no certificate of ill health). Despite a careful clinical examination it was not possible to find any objective signs amongst 51% (86) of the patients. These patients exhibited normal motion of the back, normal musculature, no signs of neurologic involvement, negative straight-leg-raising test, no fixed painful position and no pain during percussion or palpation despite the fact they had subjective symptoms. The proportion of patients without objective findings increased with increased duration of absenteeism. Forty percent of the acute back patients displayed no objective findings. The corresponding figures for the subacute and chronic back patient groups were 34% and 70%, respectively. In the group without objective findings but with chronic pain (greater than 3 months) there was an increased frequency of Waddell's non-organic signs compared with the group with objective findings. Psychological and social problems increased with increasing duration of absenteeism. There were significantly more patients with psychiatric illness, signs of alcoholism and early retirement in the three months group compared to the remaining groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1988

Physical activity in postmenopausal women: effect on back muscle strength and bone mineral density of the spine.

In this cross-sectional study, the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, the back extensor strength, and the level of physical activity were determined in 68 healthy, postmenopausal women. Physical activity was determined by a graded questionnaire and varied from sedentary to heavy vocational and avocational activity levels. Bone mineral density (L2 through L4) was measured with dual-photon absorptiometry. Back extensor strength was determined with use of a strain-gauge dynamometer. Bone mineral density ranged from 0.77 to 1.49g/cm2 (mean +/- SD, 1.06 +/- 0.18g/cm2). Back extensor strength ranged from 37 to 145 lb (84.6 +/- 23.5 lb). Physical activity scores ranged from 3 to 13 (8.0 +/- 2.7). Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation (r = 0.34, p less than 0.005) between bone mineral density and back extensor strength. Bone mineral density was also positively correlated with the level of physical activity (r = 0.24, p less than 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between back extensor strength and level of physical activity (r = 0.37, p less than 0.005). The data suggest that levels of physical activity and back muscle strength may be contributors to the bone mineral density of vertebral bodies.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Measurement of the shape of the surface of the back in patients with scoliosis. The standing and forward-bending positions.

In order to determine if the configuration of the trunk is altered when a patient changes from an upright to a forward-bending position, the shape of the surface of the back of fifty-six patients who had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis was recorded, by means of Raster stereophotography, with each patient in three postures: standing erect, bending forward with the hands between the knees (forward bend 1), and bending forward with the hands touching the toes (forward bend 2). The effect of placing one foot on a block to produce a limb-length difference was also studied in the standing position (thirty patients) and in the forward-bending position (eighteen patients). The degree of rotation of the surface of the back and of kyphosis and lordosis of the surface of the trunk was measured from sections in the sagittal plane that were plotted from the computerized measurements of the surface of the back. Qualitatively similar rotation of the surface of the back was found in both the standing position and the forward-bending position. When the patient was in the forward-bending position, the degree of rotation of the surface of the back was minimally changed in the thoracic region but increased in the lumbar region. The amount of rotation of the surface of the back was similar in both forward bending with the hands to the knees and forward bending with the hands to the toes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Manipulation for the control of back pain and curve progression in patients with skeletally mature idiopathic scoliosis: two cases.

OBJECTIVE: This report of two cases illustrates the potential effect of chiropractic manipulative therapy on back pain and curve progression in the at-risk, skeletally mature patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. CLINICAL FEATURE: Two patients suffering from lumbar scoliosis and chronic back pain. Both had scoliosis that had progressed after skeletal maturity. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Diversified type chiropractic manipulative therapy was used palliatively for back pain relief in one case, and routinely 1-2 times per month in the other case. The manipulation was applied manually, with the patients in the prone and side-posture positions. Vertebral levels manipulated were identified as fixated/dysfunctional segments based on static and/or motion palpation. They were generally applied to areas above and/or below the curve apex. When applied at the apex, cavitation was more easily achieved when the direction of thrust was into the concave side. This was also tolerated better by the patient. No attempt was made to "straighten the curve" by thrusting into the convex side. Gentle manual intersegmental mobilization, stretching and muscle massage techniques were also applied. The case treated palliatively had curve progression consistent with the literature over an 8-yr period. The case treated routinely did not. The procedure was effective in both cases for subjective relief of back pain. CONCLUSIONS: Diversified-type CMT has a favorable effect on acute back pain when used palliatively. The procedure may also have a favorable long term effect of preventing recurrence of back pain and on retarding curve progression when used routinely 1-2 times per month.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Physical and psychological workload in men with and without low back pain.

Current and retrospective physical and psychological workload was studied in 148 mean, 45-55 years old. The men represented three groups with respect to low back health status: Healthy low back (Group 1, n = 36), intermittent low back pain (LBP) (Group 2, n = 91) and chronic LBP (Group 3, n = 21). The methods used were a self administered questionnaire, a rating scale of perceived exertion, and blind expert assessment built on a classification of job titles. Group 1, the back-healthy subjects, had been less exposed to heavy physical work than subjects with intermittent LBP (Group 2) and chronic LBP subjects (Group 3) through their whole working-career and in their present work (p < or = 0.05, p < or = 0.01). Group 2 tended to be significantly less exposed in their present work than Group 3 (p < or = 0.06). Non-neutral working postures were reported more often in Groups 2 and 3 than in Group 1 (p < or = 0.05, p < or = 0.001). Both groups 2 and 3 perceived present and earlier work to be more strenuous than Group 1, with respect to the low back (p < or = 0.000). Subjects in the healthy low-back group had lower values in the qualitative demand index ("too difficult working tasks" and "too great responsibility") than subjects in Groups 2 and 3 (p < or = 0.01). This study indicates that more attention should be given to the individual's perception of physical workload.

Confidence Intervals↗