Articles: low-back-pain.
-
Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd · Aug 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialAcupuncture Randomized Trials (ART) in patients with chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee - design and protocols.
We report on the study design and protocols of two randomized controlled trials (Acupuncture Randomized Trials = ART) that investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee, respectively. ⋯ The results of these two studies (available in 2004) will provide health care providers and policy makers with the information needed to make scientifically sound assessments of acupuncture therapy.
-
J Electromyogr Kinesiol · Aug 2003
Surface electromyography assessment of back muscle intrinsic properties.
The purpose of this study was to assess (1) the reliability and (2) the sensitivity to low back pain status and gender of different EMG indices developed for the assessment of back muscle weakness, muscle fiber composition and fatigability. Healthy subjects (men and women) and chronic low back pain patients (men only) performed, in a static dynamometer, maximal and submaximal static trunk extension tasks (short and long duration) to assess weakness, fiber composition and fatigue. Surface EMG signals were recorded from four (bilateral) pairs of back muscles and three pairs of abdominal muscles. ⋯ This result was attributed to the smaller absolute load that was attributed to the patients, a load that was defined relative to their maximal strength, a problematic measure with this population. An attempt was made to predict maximal back strength from anthropometric measurements but this prediction was prone to errors. The main difficulties and some potential solutions related to the assessment of back muscle intrinsic properties were discussed.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Pain 5 years after instrumented and non-instrumented posterolateral lumbar spinal fusion.
Pain drawings have been used in spine surgery for diagnostic use and psychological evaluation of fusion candidates; they have rarely been used to evaluate pain status after spinal fusion. This study is a 5-year follow-up on a randomised clinical trial assigning patients to posterolateral spinal fusion with or without pedicle screw instrumentation. Patients were mailed a pain drawing and questionnaires including questions regarding work, social status, smoking status, the Dallas Pain Questionnaire (DPQ), and the Low Back Pain Rating Scale (LBPRS). ⋯ Ten percent still experience donor site pain. In general, instrumentation does not affect the amount and localisation of pain 5 years after lumbar spinal fusion surgery. The pain drawing seems to be a valuable tool when following spinal fusion patients, but its use as prognostic marker in connection with fusion surgery needs further investigation.
-
Clinical biomechanics · Aug 2003
Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialLumbar muscle fatigue and recovery in patients with long-term low-back trouble--electromyography and health-related factors.
The aim was to explore the validity and reliability of EMG for assessing lumbar muscle fatigue. ⋯ The ability to fatigue the back muscles during a test requiring a high force output might be achieved with back muscle training focused on increasing strength and self-efficacy.