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
-
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.
-
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of acute low back pain (ALBP) and associated factors in high school students from a Southern Brazilian city. ⋯ Further studies with follow-ups to adulthood are needed to investigate whether physical cumulative loads on the lumbar spine (for example, duration/transport, school bags and inadequate school furniture) during adolescence, may influence the development of ALBP later in life.
-
Operative decompression is indicated for progressive neurological deterioration in patients with cervical compressive myelopathy (CCM). However, the best timing to ensure clinical recovery has not been determined because of the lack of a suitable method. 10 s step ("step") test is an easily performed physical test to assess the severity of CCM, particularly for the severity of lower limb dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to analyze the predictive value of preoperative step test results in relation to the results of expansive laminoplasty in patients with CCM. ⋯ Preoperative step test results significantly reflected the effective results of JOACMEQ-L and were predictive of improved lower limb function after laminoplasty in patients with CCM. Patients with a score of greater than or equal to 14.5 can experience effective lower limb functional recovery.
-
Reporting financial disclosures has become standard practice in both journal publications and during oral forum at scientific meetings. Despite this, the effect of reporting a financial disclosure of any member of an authorgroup, on the tone of the conclusion of an article has gained little attention. This study was performed to determine what effect reporting a financial disclosure has on the conclusion of an article. ⋯ Reporting a financial disclosure is a potential source of bias. Authors with disclosed financial relationships less often publish articles with a neutral/negative conclusion. This source of bias should certainly be taken into account during the critical appraisal of articles, particularly when the quality of the literature is being assessed.