The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Differential alterations have been reported in the local and global cervical muscles in the presence of chronic neck pain (CNP), including the endurance alterations of these muscles. Identifying the involved muscles is crucial to the assessment and rehabilitation of patients with CNP. ⋯ The findings showed higher levels of global muscle fatigability and smaller size of deep neck extensor muscles in CNP patients. Disability and extensor endurance were found to be associated with extensor muscle size. The results challenge the validity of the clinical extensor muscle endurance test in the differentiation of the deep and superficial extensor muscle endurance and the use of US in the assessment of cervical muscle endurance. Further investigations are needed to judge the superficial and deep muscle endurance in CNP patients.
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Injuries to the lumbar plexus during lateral approaches to the spine are not uncommon and may result in permanent deficits. However, the literature contains few studies that provide landmarks for avoiding the branches of the lumbar plexus. ⋯ The findings of our cadaveric study provide surgeons who approach the lateral lumbar spine with data that could decrease injuries to the branches of the lumbar plexus, thus lessening patient morbidity.
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The relationship between sedentary lifestyle and low back pain (LBP) remains unclear and previous research has not accounted for genetic and early environmental factors. ⋯ Sedentary behavior is associated with concurrent LBP. However, this association is weak; it only appears in females and decreases when accounting for genetics. Future studies using a twin design with larger samples should be conducted to further test these findings.
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Pain is commonly associated with symptoms of depression or anxiety, although this relationship is considered bidirectional. There is limited knowledge regarding causal relationships. ⋯ The relationship between chronic LBP and the future development of depression or anxiety symptoms is not causal. The relationship is likely to be explained by confounding from shared familial factors, given the non-statistically significant associations in the co-twin case-control analyses.
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Patient satisfaction is becoming an increasing common proxy for surgical quality; however, the correlation between patient satisfaction and surgical outcomes 2 and 5 years after anterior cervical surgery has not been evaluated. ⋯ In patients undergoing one- and two-level anterior cervical spine surgery, between 2 and 5 years postoperatively, patient satisfaction is significantly predicted by PROs, including the VAS neck score and the NDI.