Neuromuscular control of spinal stability may be represented as a control system wherein the paraspinal muscle reflex acts as feedback response to kinetic and kinematic disturbances of the trunk. The influence of preparatory muscle recruitment for the control of spinal stability has been previously examined, but there are few reported studies that characterize paraspinal reflex gain as feedback...

AIM In the assessment of the lumbar spine by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), changes in the paraspinal muscles are frequently overlooked. In this study, our objective was to investigate the relationships between lumbar multifidus (MF) muscle atrophy and low back pain (LBP), leg pain and intevertebral disc degeneration. METHODS A retrospective study of 78 patients (aged 17-72) with LBP prese...

There is a number of research work in the literature that have applied sEMG biofeedback as an instrument for muscle rehabilitation. Therefore, sEMG is a good tool for this research work and is used to record the myoelectric activity in the paraspinal muscles of those with AIS during habitual standing and sitting. After the sEMG evaluation, the root-mean-square (RMS) sEMG values of the paraspina...

OBJECTIVE Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation is commonly used for upper lumber burst fractures. The direct decompression remains challenging with this minimally invasive surgery. The objective was to evaluate a novel paraspinal erector approach for effective and direct decompression in patients with canal compromise and neurologic deficit. METHOD Patients (n = 21) with neurological deficienc...

The electromyographic activity of the paraspinal muscles at four levels were examined to investigate the effects of chair sitting on muscle activation patterns and muscle fatigue. The Balans, Nada-Chair Back Up, and Standard Office Chair were studied. Twenty four subjects were asked to engage in a seated writing task for 10 minutes for each of three chairs. Prior to the first writing period and...

BACKGROUND There are many pathological conditions with hepatic iron overload. Classical definite diagnostic methods of these disorders are invasive and based on a direct tissue biopsy material. For the last years the role of MR imaging in liver diagnostics has been increasing. MRI shows changes of liver intensity in patients with hepatic iron overload. Changes in MR signal are an indirect conse...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical spectrum of anti-GAD-positive patients with stiff-person syndrome (SPS) and provide reproducible means of assessing stiffness. BACKGROUND SPS can be difficult to diagnose. Delineation of the clinical spectrum in a well defined population will increase diagnostic sensitivity. METHODS In 20 anti-GAD-positive patients with SPS (six men, 14 women), screened am...