Loading the Spine in MRI
Loading the spine and the differences seen in MRI
Vacuum Phenomenon – What is it and can it tell us anything about the dynamics of the spine?
Goal of the Study? Intradiscal vacuum phenomenon is a commonly observed radiological finding in the spine but not much is known about its pathophysiology. A recent paper was published in The European Spine Journal1 and sought to explore more about this curious phenomenon by looking at patients with it and to see if the anatomical […]
Compression and Bending (Not only Bending) Caused Disc Herniation in this Animal Model Research
Goal of the Study? In this primary research article 1, the authors aim to establish an animal model that can be extrapolated to the complex mechanical load of a human intervertebral disc during bending and compression loading. They hypothesized that a disc herniation could be gradually induced by static complex loading. Why are they […]
A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of physiotherapy intervention in the management of lumbar prolapsed intervertebral disc
Goal of the Study? In this review 1 the authors evaluated the efficacy of physical therapy interventions such as electrotherapy, exercise therapy, lumbar traction and manual therapy in the management of lumbar prolapsed intervertebral disc (PIVD). Why are they doing this study? Lumbar PIVD (or herniation) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting […]
Disc Herniation Over-reported with Spondylolisthesis – Research
Spondylolisthesis is the slippage of one vertebra on another—frequently found with disc herniation. However, in this recent paper titled: “Over-reporting of the disc herniation in lumbar spine MRI scans performed for patients with spondylolisthesis” 1 they sought to find if disc herniation is over-reported and in turn, possibly over-treated. Spondylolisthesis is best diagnosed when the […]
Stuart McGill Uses ddd Spinal Models to Demonstrate the Cumulative Nature of Delamination and Disc Bulges
In an online interview with Bill Morgan, President of Parker University, world-renowned spine researcher and scientist, Stuart McGill, uses dynamic disc models from Dynamic Disc Designs to explain lumbar disc herniations, extrusions, and the mechanisms for lumbar disc injuries and treatments. When treating spinal injuries, McGill stresses the importance of recognizing that the cause of […]
New Study Finds Evidence of Altered CNS Activity in Fibromyalgia Patients
A 2018 study 1 of resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) of the cervical spinal cord in fibromyalgia patients and control subjects found there was greater ventral and lesser dorsal Mean ALFF of the cervical spinal cord in patients with fibromyalgia, compared to the control group subjects. The results of the study may indicate that […]
Diurnal Disc Shape and Height Changes – Basic Science and Natural Variations to Understand Back Pain
The spine undergoes natural shape and fluid changes over the course of 24 hours. Often, back pain symptoms vary as well over the day and night cycle. But the small changes and the links to pain have not been researched thoroughly. Here, a group of researchers from Duke University looked at the reliability of measuring intervertebral disc shape […]
Exploring the Link Between Lower Back Pain, Disc Degeneration and Intradiscal Pressure
A study of in vivo intradiscal pressure in subjects with and without lower back pain (LBP) sought to find out how disc degeneration affects intradiscal pressure, measure the loading capacity of the L4/L5 IVD segment, and determine any relationship between movement in that disc segment and the spinal loading capacity. The researchers found that there […]