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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Comparative Study
Electromyographic analysis of trunk-muscle activity during stable, unstable and unilateral bridging exercises in healthy individuals.
Spinal pain can result in unilateral atrophy of spinal muscles. Understanding side-to-side muscle activity during exercises can help clinicians address these deficits. This study determined if variations of bridging exercises specifically activated side-to-side trunk-muscle activity. ⋯ The results suggest that specific exercises (unilateral/unstable) can target specific sides of trunk muscles.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of the cervical range of motion device when measuring both active and passive range of motion in a group of individuals with sub-acute Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD). ⋯ The CROM device has proven to be a reproducible measurement method for a symptomatic WAD population using the measurement protocol described and can be used with confidence to differentiate individuals according to a single measurement.
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Comparative Study
A comparative evaluation of the small leucine-rich proteoglycans of pathological human intervertebral discs.
Proteoglycans are important to the functioning of the intervertebral disc. In addition to aggrecan there are the small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs). These are less common but in other locations their functions include collagen organisation, sequestering growth factors and stimulating inflammation. We have performed a comparative analysis of the SLRP core protein species present in intervertebral discs with various pathologies. ⋯ In this cohort of pathological intervertebral discs, fragmentation of certain SLRP core proteins was common, indicating that some SLRPs are extensively processed during the pathological process. Identification of specific SLRP fragments which correlate with disc pathology may not only help understand their aetiopathogeneses, but also provide biomarkers which can be used to monitor disease progression or to identify particular disc disorders.
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Technical report on the surgical technique of asymmetric osteotomy of the spine for coronal imbalance. ⋯ Satisfactory correction of coronal deformity can be achieved with APSO from an isolated posterior approach. In contrast to sagittal osteotomies, blunt dissection along the anterior cortex is necessary to allow safe resection of anterior cortical bone for closure of the wedge.
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Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous access to thoracic vertebrae is technically demanding due to the complex radiological anatomy and close proximity of the spinal cord, major vessels and pleural cavity. There is a trend towards computed tomography (CT) guidance due to a perceived reduction in the risk of spinal canal intrusion by instrumentation causing neurological injury. Due to limited access to CT guidance, there is a need for safe fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous access to the thoracic spine. ⋯ Percutaneous access to the thoracic spine using fluoroscopic guidance is safe. The crucial step of the protocol is not to advance the tool beyond the medial pedicle wall on the anterior-posterior projection until the tip of the instrument has reached the posterior vertebral cortex on the lateral projection.