BACKGROUND Traction is used to treat low-back pain (LBP), often with other treatments. OBJECTIVES To determine traction's effectiveness, compared to reference treatments, placebo, sham traction or no treatment for LBP. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2006, issue 4), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL to October 2006, references in relevant reviews and personal files. SE...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Sciatica is a common clinical condition that can be extremely painful, disabling and life-changing. Whether conservative or surgical treatment for sciatica secondary to an intervertebral disc prolapse is most effective is still much debated. An important component of conservative treatment is physiotherapy, which aims to promote physical and psychological health for the p...

Bertolotti's syndrome is characterized by anomalous enlargement of the transverse process of the most caudal lumbar segment, causing chronic and persistent low back pain or sciatica. We describe the case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with left sciatic pain and low back pain due to a recurrent lumbar disc herniation at L4-5 with Bertolotti's syndrome. Selective L5 nerve root block and loc...

Fusion is a common surgical goal by traditional surgeons to eliminate debilitating back pain and sciatica, especially when nonsurgical or simple decompressions fail. Spine surgeons trained to perform fusions, with the ultimate goal of addressing deformity and instability, leave a big gap of treatment options between surgery and pain management procedures. With no training in endoscopic surgery,...

Abstract Context Evidence has shown that spinal mobilization with leg movement (SMWLM) and progressive inhibition of neuromuscular structures (PINS) are individually effective in the management lumbar radiculopathy. However, previous evidence reported data for only a short-term study period did not investigate effect combined manual therapy techniques. Objectives To compare effects two techniqu...

BACKGROUND There are numerous treatment approaches for sciatica. Previous systematic reviews have not compared all these strategies together. PURPOSE To compare the clinical effectiveness of different treatment strategies for sciatica simultaneously. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and network meta-analysis. METHODS We searched 28 electronic databases and online trial registries, along wit...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the clinical effectiveness of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) in the treatment of sciatica with an adequately powered study and to identify potential predictors of response to ESIs. Also, to investigate the safety and cost-effectiveness of lumbar ESIs in patients with sciatica. DESIGN A pragmatic, prospective, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-control...

Case report 1 The case concerns a 38 year old woman with a one year history of a low grade non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma stage 4 (disseminated involvement of one or more extralymphatic organs with or without lymph node involvement). At the time of diagnosis, nodal involvement was found in the supraclavicular and axillar regions and in the neck; the abdomen presented marked splenomegaly and sternal pun...

family physician to our spine clinic for assessment of left-sided leg pain of six months’ duration. His history was significant only for a spontaneous onset of lumbar back pain noted immediately after awkward bending six months prior, followed two to three days later by severe leg pain, paresthesias and ankle weakness, consistent with an L5 radiculopathy. His initial leg pain had been so intens...

Herein we discuss a case of a 55 year old male presenting with history suggestive of sciatica on the left leg. Straight leg raising (SLR) test was positive at 45 degrees on the left side. His ankle reflex was absent and the power of extensor hallusus longus (EHL) was 4/5 on the same side. MRI lumbosacral spine revealed left paramedian disc prolapsed on L4/L5 level with spinal canal diameter of ...