BACKGROUND Many patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) have spinal instability but are determined, by their clinician, to be unsuitable for surgical internal fixation due to their advanced disease. Mobilisation may be hazardous in the presence of spinal instability as further vertebral collapse can occur. Current guidance on positioning (or mobilisation) and spinal bracing is c...

INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND The use of external cervical orthosis (ECO) after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) varies from physician to physician due to an absence of clear guidelines. Our purpose is to evaluate and present evidence answering the question, "Does ECO after ACDF improve fusion rates?" through a literature review of current evidence for and against ECO after ACDF.  R...

PURPOSE We report a comparison study of vertebral body stapling (VBS) versus a matched bracing cohort for immature patients with moderate (25 to 44°) idiopathic scoliosis (IS). METHODS 42 of 49 consecutive patients (86%) with IS were treated with VBS and followed for a minimum of 2 years. They were compared to 121 braced patients meeting identical inclusion criteria. 52 patients (66 curves) w...

With use of data culled from twenty studies, members of the Prevalence and Natural History Committee of the Scoliosis Research Society conducted a meta-analysis of 1910 patients who had been managed with bracing (1459 patients), lateral electrical surface stimulation (322 patients), or observation (129 patients) because of idiopathic scoliosis. Three variables - the type of treatment, the level...

OBJECTIVES To describe the association between participants' person-related potential predictor variables and cumulative compliance with interventions for preventing ankle sprains: neuromuscular training, wearing an ankle brace, and a combined training and bracing. DESIGN Secondary analysis of compliance data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing measures preventing ankle ligamen...

The purpose of this study was to compare the influences of 4 ankle conditions (no support, bracing, taping, taping + spatting; all in football cleats) during 2 maximal-effort field drills (40-yd dash and 34-yd cutting drill) on perceptions of comfort and stability and performance outcomes. Fourteen young adult males participated. Subjects' perceptions of comfort and stability were assessed by v...

INTRODUCTION Left ventricular geometry is associated with cardiovascular events and prognosis. The Tei index of myocardial performance is a combined index of systolic and diastolic dysfunction and has been shown to be a predictor of cardiovascular outcome in heart diseases. The relationship between the Tei index and left ventricular geometry has not been well studied. This study examined the as...

CLINICAL SCENARIO Ankle taping and bracing are commonly used to reduce the risk of sports-related ankle sprains. Mechanical- and neuromuscular-control facilitation has been the focus of their effectiveness. Another potential advantage to using ankle taping or bracing is an increased sense of confidence, stability, and reassurance that the individual may experience when performing a dynamic-bala...