European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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We investigated the prognosis of low-back pain and the association of clinical symptoms and anatomic findings among young athletes. Consecutive patients, aged between 12 and 18 years, who had low-back pain that had interfered with their training for at least 4 weeks were included in the case series. All the patients participated in a standardized interview and clinical examination, and plain radiographs and magnetic resonance images were also obtained. ⋯ In conclusion, the reasons for prolonged back pain among young athletes are usually established by imaging studies. A knowledge of anatomic abnormalities may help in tailoring training programmes and avoiding the progression of changes during growth. Simple restriction of painful activities usually leads to good recovery.
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A CT study of normal atlanto-axial (C1-C2) rotary mobility was carried out on ten normal immature subjects. In order to determine the limits of normality, the ten children underwent clinical and radiological examination. The clinical study included checking for objective signs of joint laxity and measurement of rotational neck mobility. ⋯ Our results lead us to conclude that, except for complete C1-C2 rotational dislocation with facet interlocking, a CT scan showing a wide - but incomplete - rotational facet displacement is not sufficient to define a status of subluxation. This leads us to perceive that there is a risk of overdiagnosis when evaluating upper cervical spine rotational problems in children. The concept of both rotary C1-C2 fixation and subluxation should be revised.