Articles: back-pain.
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Back pain is the most common type of pain reported by older adults, leading to considerable morbidity and cost. Yet little is known about the segment of the population ≥80 years old that can be used to guide care in this age group. Illness representations provide a useful framework to understand older adults' beliefs and perceptions of their back pain. The objective of this study was to understand illness representations of back pain, severe enough to restrict activity (restricting back pain). ⋯ Thematic analysis revealed that restricting back pain in older adults has variable and noteworthy physical, psychological and social consequences.There are several components of the illness representation of restricting back pain, specifically,the perceptions of consequences and control that may offer potential targets for clinical intervention.
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Comparative Study
Thoracal flat back is a risk factor for lumbar disc degeneration after scoliosis surgery.
Lumbar segments below fused scoliotic spines are thought to be exposed to extraordinary stress. Although positive sagittal imbalance has come into focus, reports about factors influencing the outcome of these segments remain inconclusive. ⋯ This study establishes thoracal flat back as a risk factor for lumbar DDD after spinal fusion and supports the pathogenetic role of positive sagittal imbalance in this process.
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The aim of this study was to investigate content validity of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for low back pain (LBP), by examining whether common activities reported as difficult to perform are included in the Core Sets. ⋯ The Comprehensive Core Set for LBP to a large degree contains daily life and work-related activities frequently reported as difficult to perform by patients with long-lasting LBP. The categories, however, are very broad and do not provide specified descriptions of the most frequently reported activity limitations such as sitting, standing and walking. The Brief Core Set does not include categories for frequently reported activities such as pulling/pushing and leisure/recreation activities. ICF Core Sets for LBP seem suitable for obtaining a gross overview of the patients' functional limitations, but do not give sufficient information from a therapeutic point of view.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of individual pain sensitivity on the results of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) for the patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Seventy-seven patients with LSS were included in this study. Prospectively planned evaluations were performed twice consecutively before and 2 months after TFESI. ⋯ Before injection, VAS for back pain and leg pain was highly associated with the PSQ scores including total PSQ and PSQ subscores after adjustment for age, BMI, and grade of canal stenosis. However, any subscores of PSQ and total PSQ scores were not correlated with either VAS for back pain/leg pain or ODI 2 months after TFESI with adjustment made to age, BMI, gender, and grade of canal stenosis. This study highlights that individual pain sensitivity does not influence the outcomes of TFESI treatment in patients with LSS, even though pain sensitivity has a significant negative correlation with symptom severity of LSS.
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Patients with recurrent sciatica due to repeated reherniation of the intervertebral disc carry a poor prognosis for recovery and create a large burden on society. There is no consensus about the best treatment for this patient group. The goal of this study was to evaluate the 12-month results of the placement of stand-alone Trabecular Metal cages in these patients. ⋯ Although only 46% of patients reported a good recovery with significant reductions in back and leg pain, 85% of patients reported at least some benefit from the operation, and a marked improvement in working status at follow-up was noted. In view of previously published poor results of instrumented lumbar fusion for patients with failed back surgery syndrome, the present data indicate that Trabecular Metal interbody fusion cages can be used in a stand-alone fashion and should not always need supplemental posterior fixation in patients with recurrent disc herniation without spinal instability, although a long-term follow-up study is warranted.