BACKGROUND Spinal posture is commonly a focus in the assessment and clinical management of low back pain (LBP) patients. However, the link between spinal posture and LBP is not fully understood. Recent evidence suggests that considering regional, rather than total lumbar spine posture is important. The purpose of this study was to determine; if there are regional differences in habitual lumbar ...

BACKGROUND Cervical and lumbar range of motion limitations are usually associated with musculoskeletal pain in the neck and lower back, and are a major health problem among nurses. Physical exercise has been evaluated as an effective intervention method for improving cervical and lumbar range of motion, and for preventing and reducing musculoskeletal pain. The purpose of this study was to inves...

STUDY DESIGN A cadaveric simulation model of the lumbar spine was used to study the intervertebral motion characteristics of the lumbar spine after bilateral laminotomy and facet-sparing laminectomy. OBJECTIVE To assess differences in motion patterns and lumbar spine stiffness after bilateral laminotomy versus laminectomy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Spondylolisthesis after facet-sparing lam...

The current study examined the validity and reliability of a new system that was developed to measure lumbar region passive stiffness and end range of motion during a trunk lateral bending movement in vivo. Variables measured included force, end range lumbar region motion, torque, lumbar region stiffness, and passive elastic energy. Validity of the force measurements was examined using standard...

STUDY DESIGN Descriptive study. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to describe the segmental motion of the lumbar spine during a posterior-to-anterior (PA) mobilization procedure using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and to propose a mechanism of the lumbar spine's motion as a result of a PA force to a lumbar spinous process. BACKGROUND Studies reporting kinematic descriptions of PA...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to establish normative values for active lumbar movement in children five, seven, nine, and 11 years of age. METHODS End range active flexion, extension, and right- and left-side bending and rotation of the lumbar spine were measured for 225 normally developing children (116 girls, 109 boys) using the Back Range of Motion (BROM II) device. Means were dete...

BACKGROUND It is commonplace for clinicians to measure range of motion (ROM) in the assessment of the lumbar spine. Traditional single 'joint' models afford measuring only a limited number of regions along the spine and may, therefore, over-simplify the description of movement. It remains to be determined if additional, useful information can be gleaned by considering the traditional 'lumbar re...

Spine motion has been described to have two regions, a neutral zone where lumbar rotation can occur with little resistance and an elastic zone where structures such as ligaments, facet joints and intervertebral disks resist rotation. In vivo, the passive musculature can contribute to further limiting the functional neutral range of lumbar motion. Movement out of this functional neutral range co...