Musculoskeletal System

Meditation: how could it benefit your health?

Written by Honor Whiteman Published: Sunday 27 December 2015 For many people, the word “meditation” is likely to evoke images of a cross-legged individual, eyes closed, humming to themselves, but there is so much more to the practice than meets the eye. Meditation is an ancient mind and body practice that is estimated to date […]

Body Mass Index and Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis

December 25, 2015 BMJ Open TAKE-HOME MESSAGE The authors of this meta-analysis of 14 studies evaluated the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The risk of knee OA was significantly increased in overweight (RR, 2.45) and obese (RR, 4.55) individuals. Each 5-kg/m2 increase in BMI resulted in […]

Evaluation of vitamin D levels in women with carpal tunnel syndrome

J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2015 Dec 23. pii: 1753193415622732. [Epub ahead of print] Lee SH, Gong HS, Kim DH, Shin HS, Kim KM, Kim J, Baek GH. Abstract Studies suggest that vitamin D has a role in neuroprotection. We investigated whether vitamin D status is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Vitamin D levels were […]

Occupant and Crash Characteristics of Elderly Subjects With Thoracic and Lumbar Spine Injuries After Motor Vehicle Collisions

Spine: January 2016 – Volume 41 – Issue 1 – p 32–38 Rao, Raj D. MD Abstract Study Design. Retrospective study of a prospectively gathered database. Objective. To investigate the incidence and pattern of thoracic and lumbar (T and L) spine injuries among elderly subjects involved in motor vehicle collision (MVC). Summary of Background Data. […]

A slouched body posture decreases arm mobility and changes muscle recruitment in the neck and shoulder region

Eva-Maj Malmström European Journal of Applied Physiology December 2015, Volume 115, Issue 12, pp 2491–2503 Abstract PURPOSE: Long-term use of unfavorable postures, congenital deformations and degenerative processes associated with aging or disease may generate an increased thoracic curvature resulting in pain and disability. We wanted to examine whether a slouched postural alignment with increased thoracic […]

Preventing Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Injuries Through Corrective Exercise Programming

PREVENTING SHOULDER AND ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES THROUGH CORRECTIVE EXERCISE PROGRAMMING (PART 2) AVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA · DECEMBER 18, 2015 Shoulder pain and shoulder injuries related to the rotator cuff are common issues within the general population and among athletes. This article will provide you with background knowledge and practical suggestions on how […]

PT Beats Surgery for Quick Relief of Carpal Tunnel Pain

December 17, 2015 Physical therapy as effective as surgery in medium, long term; more effective for pain relief in short term WEDNESDAY, Dec. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For women with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), physical manual therapies are similarly effective to surgery in the medium and long term, and may be more effective in […]

Quantitative evaluation of the lumbosacral sagittal alignment in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis

Int J Spine Surg. 2015 Dec 2;9:68. doi: 10.14444/2068. eCollection 2015. Makirov SK, Yuz AA, Jahaf MT, Nikulina AA. Abstract GOAL OF THE STUDY: This study intends to develop a method of quantitative sagittal balance parameters assessment, based on a geometrical model of lumbar spine and sacrum. METHODS: One hundred eight patients were divided into […]

Physical therapy for headaches (including spinal joint manipulation/mobilization)

Cephalalgia. 2015 Dec 9. pii: 0333102415596445. [Epub ahead of print] Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C1, Cuadrado ML2. Abstract BACKGROUND: Headache is the medical problem most commonly observed by neurologists. Non-pharmacological treatments are commonly demanded by individuals with headaches, but their evidence of effectiveness is conflicting. AIM: The current review provides an updated discussion on what is supported by […]

MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Dec;36(12):2394-9. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4498. Epub 2015 Sep 10. MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Brinjikji W, Diehn FE, Jarvik JG, Carr CM, Kallmes DF, Murad MH4 Luetmer PH. Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Imaging features of […]

Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Trigger Finger

Ultrasound-Guided Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Trigger Finger: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial Ding-Hao Liu, MD PM&R December 2015 olume 96, Issue 12, Pages 2120–2127 Abstract Objectives To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) versus steroid for trigger fingers in adults. Design Prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study. Setting Tertiary care center. Participants […]

Exercise interventions for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Clin Rehabil. 2015 Dec;29(12):1155-67. doi: 10.1177/0269215515570379. Epub 2015 Feb 13. Searle A, Spink M, Ho A, Chuter V. Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine, for adults with chronic low back pain, which exercise interventions are the most effective at reducing pain compared to other treatments. DATA SOURCES: A search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO and The […]

Reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the big toe

Date: December 7, 2015 Source: Wiley Summary: Prefabricated foot orthoses and rocker-sole footwear (in which the sole of the shoe is curved) are effective at reducing peak pressure under the big toe in people with a condition called first metatarsophalangeal joint osteoarthritis, but new research shows that they achieve this through different mechanisms. Also, rocker-sole […]

Does cervical lordosis change after spinal manipulation for non-specific neck pain?

Does cervical lordosis change after spinal manipulation for non-specific neck pain? A prospective cohort study Michael Shilton Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 201523:33 DOI: 10.1186/s12998-015-0078-3 ©  Shilton et al. 2015 Received: 2 March 2015 Accepted: 4 November 2015 Published: 7 December 2015 Abstract Background The association between cervical lordosis (sagittal alignment) and neck pain is controversial. Further, it is unclear whether spinal manipulative therapy […]

Gum-Chewing and Headache: An Underestimated Trigger of Headache Pain in Migraineurs?

CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2015;14(6):786-90. Lippi G1, Cervellin G, Mattiuzzi C. Abstract Tension-type headache and migraine are currently considered the second and third most frequent human diseases. Since a variety of conditions that involve the temporomandibular joint and chewing muscles are frequent causes of orofacial pain, the aim of this article was to review […]

Manipulative and Multimodal Therapies in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Great Toe: A Case Series

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine Volume 14, Issue 4, December 2015, Pages 270–278 James W. Brantingham, DC, PhDa Objective The objective of this case series is to describe manual manipulative therapy with exercise for 3 patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the great toe. Clinical Features Three patients, a 32-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman, and […]

Study: Opioids, Muscle Relaxants Ineffective for Acute Low Back Pain

DECEMBER 04, 2015 Prescribing opioids and muscle relaxants to acute low back pain (LBP) patients who are already on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) does not provide additional pain relief, a new study suggests. There are more than 2.5 million acute LBP-related visits to emergency departments in the United States annually, where patients are often treated […]

Which interventions are cost-effective for the management of whiplash-associated and neck pain-associated disorders?

Spine J. 2016 Dec;16(12):1582-1597. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2015.08.025. Epub 2015 Nov 26. Which interventions are cost-effective for the management of whiplash-associated and neck pain-associated disorders? A systematic review of the health economic literature by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. van der Velde G1, Yu H2, Paulden M3, Côté P4, Varatharajan S2, Shearer HM2, Wong JJ2, Randhawa K5, Southerst D6, Mior S7, Sutton D2, Jacobs C8, Taylor-Vaisey […]

Alternative Treatments Found to Benefit Chronic Neck Pain

Acupuncture, ‘Alexander Technique’ helped more than drugs and physical therapy WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Two alternative therapies — acupuncture and the Alexander Technique — appear equally beneficial for the long-term relief of chronic neck pain, according to a report published in the Nov. 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. For […]

Chronic Opioid Therapy After Lumbar Fusion Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease in a Workers’ Compensation Setting

Spine: November 2015 – Volume 40 – Issue 22 – p 1775–1784 Anderson, Joshua T. BS Abstract Study Design. Retrospective cohort study. Objective. To evaluate prescription opioid use after lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease in a workers’ compensation (WC) setting. Summary of Background Data. Use of opioids for treating chronic low back pain has […]