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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The objectives of this study were to develop consensus on (i) the content of a clinical assessment for adults presenting to primary care with low back and leg pain, and (ii) the most important items for diagnosing spinal nerve root involvement. ⋯ We have developed a clinical assessment schedule for patients with low back pain and leg pain presenting in primary care. History and clinical items considered important for their contribution in the diagnosis of nerve root involvement were also established.
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Various studies have shown that spine stabilisation exercise therapy elicits improvements in symptoms/disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (cLBP). However, few have corroborated the intended mechanism of action by examining whether clinical improvements (1) are greater in patients with functional deficits of the targeted muscles and (2) correlate with post-treatment improvements in abdominal muscle function. ⋯ Neither baseline lateral abdominal muscle function nor its improvement after a programme of stabilisation exercises was a statistical predictor of a good clinical outcome. It is hence difficult to attribute the therapeutic result to any specific effects of the exercises on these trunk muscles. The association between changes in catastrophising and outcome serves to encourage further investigation on larger groups of patients to clarify whether stabilisation exercises have some sort of "central" effect, unrelated to abdominal muscle function per se.
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Anatomical study of the relationship among the cervical nerve roots, intervertebral disc, and lateral mass is important for the neurosurgeon to avoid complications of posterior cervical foraminotomy. ⋯ Anatomic and morphologic study of the cervical nerve roots and their relationships to the lateral mass and the intervertebral disc are useful landmarks to reduce the operative complications of the posterior foraminotomy.
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To document the neurological outcome, spinal alignment and segmental range of movement after oblique cervical corpectomy (OCC) for cervical compressive myelopathy. ⋯ The OCC preserves segmental motion in the short-term, however, the tendency towards straightening of the spine, albeit without clinical worsening, warrants serial follow-up imaging to determine whether this motion preservation is long lasting.