SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Trunk”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

The role of complex, simultaneous trunk motions in the risk of occupation-related low back disorders.

STUDY DESIGN: Simultaneous trunk kinematic variables of industrial workers performing jobs with varying degrees of low back disorder risk were quantified, by using a three-dimensional electrogoniometer. OBJECTIVES: To assess the distinguishing patterns of simultaneous multidimensional (complex) motion parameters of workers performing manual material handling jobs with varying degrees of low back disorder risk. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is significant epidemiologic and biomechanical evidence that implicates simultaneously occurring or combined motions and loading as important risk factors follow back disorder. However, the specific levels or magnitudes and patterns of these complex motions at which risk of low back disorder is increased are still unknown. METHODS: An industrial database of 126 workers and jobs was used to quantify the complex trunk motions of groups with varying degrees of low back disorder risk. Three groups, low-, medium-, and high-risk, were defined on the basis of retrospective injury records of the corresponding jobs. The jobs were further classified into five cells of weight-lift rate combinations. Within each weight-lift rate cell, the three-dimensional trunk motion patterns of workers were analyzed. Bivariate distributions and cumulative distribution functions were used to compare the simultaneous occurrence of complex dynamic motions among risk groups. RESULTS: High- and medium-risk groups exhibited complex trunk motion patterns involving high magnitudes of combined velocities, especially at extreme sagittal flexion; whereas the low-risk group did not. Postural trunk information alone did not provide a consistent pattern of distinguishing among risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of complex simultaneous velocity patterns were unique to groups with increased low back disorder risk. Knowledge of these complex trunk velocity patterns in combination with key workplace factors provides a more sensitive means for identifying low back disorder occupational risk factors than does mere postural information.

Back Injuries↗

PubMed2000

Development of trunk asymmetry in a cohort of children ages 11 to 22 years.

STUDY DESIGN: A cohort study with a follow-up period of 11 years. OBJECTIVES: To study the growth of the spine with a focus on the development of trunk asymmetry and scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Trunk asymmetry, a common phenomenon at adolescence, can be considered the clinical expression of scoliosis. The importance of the pubertal growth spurt has been stressed in the natural history of scoliosis. However, no cohort studies have focused on the ascending and descending phase of the spine's peak growth and the development of trunk asymmetry. METHODS: The cohort consisted of all the fourth-grade school children in the Western school district of Helsinki, Finland, in the spring of 1986. These 1060 children (515 girls and 545 boys), from the average age of 11 to 14 years, were invited to undergo annual examinations. The 855 children (80.7%) who had participated in the study at the age of 14 years were invited to a reexamination at the age of 22 years. This invitation was accepted by 430 (208 women and 222 men; 54%) of those invited. The forward bending test, the spinal pantography, and the anthropometric measurements were carried out by the same author (M.N.) throughout this study. RESULTS: At 22 years of age, 30% of the adults were found to be symmetric, with a hump less than 4 mm in the forward bending test, whereas 51% had a hump of 4 to 9 mm, and 19% had a hump 10 mm or larger (major asymmetry). The directional asymmetry of trunk surface, a skew to the right at the thoracic level and to the left at the lumbar level at puberty, remained constant at adult age. The prevalence of major trunk asymmetry at adult age was the same in both women and men, in contrast to the female predominance at puberty in this cohort. There were close correlations in the degrees of thoracic and lumbar asymmetry between puberty and adult ages. CONCLUSIONS: The shape of the back develops mainly during the pubertal growth spurt at ages 12 to 14 years in girls and boys. Trunk asymmetry (and mild scoliosis) seems as prevalent in young adult women as in men, although at puberty idiopathic scoliosis was twice as prevalent among girls as among boys in this cohort.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Trunk muscle strength in flexion, extension, and axial rotation in patients managed with lumbar disc herniation surgery and in healthy control subjects.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. OBJECTIVE: To compare maximal flexion, extension, and rotation strength as well as force-time characteristics of trunk muscles in patients who undergo lumbar disc herniation with those in healthy control subjects 2 months after surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Insufficient attention has been paid to muscle strength characteristics after lumbar disc herniation surgery. METHODS: For this study, 30 postoperative patients with lumbar disc herniation and 30 healthy control subjects volunteered to participate. Isometric trunk flexion, extension in the standing position, and seated rotation strength were tested bilaterally in a neutral posture and at 30 degrees axial prerotation. The area under the curve was calculated to analyze explosive force capacity. Dynamic endurance strength was measured by calculating the repetition maximum. Pain during the strength measurements was assessed by a visual analog scale. RESULTS: The healthy control subjects showed 44% and 36% higher isometric trunk flexion (P < 0.001) and extension (P < 0.001) forces, respectively, than the patients. The respective values for the area under the curve were 41% and 37% higher for the trunk flexors (P < 0.001) and extensors (P < 0.001) in the healthy control subjects than in the patients. The differences in trunk rotation force between the groups were statistically significant when the lower body was rotated 30 degrees to the right (P = 0.023) or to the left (P = 0.043) and the upper body was rotated in the opposite direction. Furthermore, in the dynamic endurance strength test, the healthy control subjects performed 70% more repetitions both for trunk flexors and extensors than did the patients. Some of the patients reported mild pain during the strength measurements, but the level of pain did not correlate with the strength values. CONCLUSIONS: The recovery of maximal endurance and explosive type strength characteristics is incomplete in patients with lumbar disc herniation 2 months after surgery. Active strength training is recommended to restore muscle function in these patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Maintenance of trunk deformity correction following posterior instrumentation and arthrodesis for idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective observational case series. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether or not trunk deformity correction is achieved and maintained using the surgical techniques described. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Transverse plane trunk deformity correction and correction maintenance have been questioned. METHODS: The study group of 44 patients (40 female, 4 male) had a mean age of 16.1 years (range 10-38 years). Thirty-three had thoracic and 11 had a double curve pattern with a mean largest preoperative curve of 65 degrees. All had preoperative and follow-up at a median of 25 months (range 20-69 months); surface topography exposures quantified for both the coronal plane, as determined by the Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index, and transverse plane, as determined by the Suzuki Hump Sum, asymmetry. Thirty-four also had early postoperative studies. Change following surgery was determined by the signed rank test, with P < 0.01 being significant. RESULTS: Preoperative to latest follow-up largest Cobb angles had improved from a mean of 65 degrees to 23 degrees (65%, P < 0.0001), Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index from 55 to 20 (64%) (P < 0.0001), and Suzuki Hump Sum from 20 to 12 (40%) (P < 0.0001). Posterior Trunk Symmetry Index improved during the follow-up from 26 to 20 (23%) (P = 0.007). Neither Cobb nor Suzuki Hump Sum further improved or deteriorated during follow-up. CONCLUSION: These findings validate the concepts of torsional posterior spinal instrumentation and wide-thick arthrodesis to provide significant and lasting coronal and transverse plane trunk deformity correction.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Intra-abdominal pressure and activation of abdominal muscles in highly trained participants during sudden heavy trunk loadings.

STUDY DESIGN: Ten participants were exposed to heavy sudden trunk loads as they might occur during patient handling. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to observe if well-trained men and women use their full rate of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) development when exposed to heavy sudden trunk loads. Further, to elucidate to what degree the rectus abdominus muscle is activated when the IAP is developed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Well-trained judo fighters are used to heavy sudden trunk loads and can produce a high IAP. It is unknown whether they use their full potential. IAP can increase the spinal stability and has been suggested to unload the spine. The unloading effect will, however, disappear if the development of the IAP demands substantial activity in the vertical fibers of the abdominal muscles. METHODS: Five male and five female well-trained judo and jujitsu fighters were exposed to heavy sudden trunk loadings through imitated patient handling situations where the patient fell and the fighters should hold the patient and prevent the fall. IAP was measured with a catheter in the stomach. Along with the IAP measurement, EMG was measured on the abdominal muscles, and the load on the low back was quantified by a three-dimensional dynamic biomechanical calculation of the torques at the L4-L5 joint. RESULTS: The well-trained judo fighters did not use their full potential of the IAP development when exposed to the heavy sudden trunk loads, but the women had to use a higher level of their IAP and extension torque capacity to comply with the heavy loads. The rectus abdominus muscle does not contribute to the IAP development when the trunk is exposed to a sudden heavy load.

Abdominal Muscles↗

PubMed2006

Stability of dynamic trunk movement.

STUDY DESIGN: Nonlinear systems analyses of trunk kinematics were performed to estimate control of dynamic stability during repetitive flexion and extension movements. OBJECTIVE: Determine whether movement pace and movement direction of dynamic trunk flexion and extension influence control of local dynamic stability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spinal stability has been previously characterized in static, but not in dynamic movements. Biomechanical models make inferences about static spinal stability, but existing analyses provide limited insight into stability of dynamic movement. Stability during dynamic movements can be estimated from Lyapunov analyses of empirical data. METHODS: There were 20 healthy subjects who performed repetitive trunk flexion and extension movements at 20 and 40 cycles per minute. Maximum Lyapunov exponents describing the expansion of the kinematic state-space were calculated from the measured trunk kinematics to estimate stability of the dynamic system. RESULTS: The complexity of torso movement dynamics required at least 5 embedded dimensions, which suggests that stability components of lumbar lordosis may be empirically measurable in addition to global stability of trunk dynamics. Repeated trajectories from fast paced movements diverged more quickly than slower movement, indicating that local dynamic stability is limited in fast movements. Movements in the midsagittal plane showed higher multidimensional kinematic divergence than asymmetric movements. CONCLUSION: Nonlinear dynamic systems analyses were successfully applied to empirically measured data, which were used to characterize the neuromuscular control of stability during repetitive dynamic trunk movements. Movement pace and movement direction influenced the control of spinal stability. These stability assessment techniques are recommended for improved workplace design and the clinical assessment of spinal stability in patients with low back pain.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Trunk position in supine of infants born preterm and at term: an assessment using a computerized pressure mat.

PURPOSE: Trunk position may influence motor, cognitive, and social development during infancy and early childhood and has not been quantitatively assessed. The purpose of this study was to assess the trunk positions of infants born at term and preterm in supine using a computerized pressure mat. METHODS: Trunk position was represented as a ratio of head and pelvis to trunk pressure. Eighteen healthy infants born preterm with a mean gestational age of 31.9 weeks (25.0-34.6) and fifteen healthy infants born at term with a mean gestational age of 38.9 weeks (37.3-40.6) were assessed at 38 to 43 weeks gestational age. RESULTS: Infants born at term spent more than two-thirds of the time in either flexed or neutral trunk positions. No significant differences were found between infants born preterm and those born at term in total duration of flexion or extension or in flexion event duration. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that infants born preterm may not exhibit greater trunk extension tendencies in supine than infants born at term. Results should be interpreted with caution, however, because of the small sample size and large variability observed within the subject groups. Infants born at less than 30 weeks of gestation may demonstrate greater extension tendencies than those born at more than 30 weeks of gestation.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed1984

Trunk movements in human locomotion.

Trunk movements in the frontal and sagittal planes were studied in 10 healthy males (18-35 yrs) during normal walking (1.0-2.5 m/s) and running (2.0-6.0 m/s) on a treadmill. Movements were recorded with a Selspot optoelectronic system. Directions, amplitudes and phase relationships to the stride cycle (defined by the leg movements) were analyzed for both linear and angular displacements. During one stride cycle the trunk displayed two oscillations in the vertical (mean net amplitude 2.5-9.5 cm) and horizontal, forward-backward directions (mean net amplitude 0.5-3 cm) and one oscillation in the lateral, side to side direction (mean net amplitude 2-6 cm). The magnitude and timing of the various oscillations varied in a different way with speed and mode of progression. Differences in amplitudes and timing of the movements at separate levels along the spine gave rise to angular oscillations with a similar periodicity as the linear displacements in both planes studied. The net angular trunk tilting in the frontal plane increased with speed from 3-10 degrees. The net forward-backward trunk inclination showed a small increase with speed up to 5 degrees in fast running. The mean forward inclination of the trunk increased from 6 degrees to about 13 degrees with speed. Peak inclination to one side occurred during the support phase of the leg on the same side. Peak forward inclination was reached at the initiation of the support phase in walking, whereas in running the peak inclination was in the opposite direction at this point. The adaptations of trunk movements to speed and mode of progression could be related to changing mechanical conditions and different demands on equilibrium control due to e.g. changes in support phase duration and leg movements.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1989

Motor patterns of a fast voluntary postural task in man: trunk extension in standing.

The co-ordination between muscles controlling the primary movement and associated postural adjustments during fast trunk extension movements was studied in six male subjects. Myoelectrical activity (EMG) was recorded from antagonistic muscle pairs at the trunk, hip, knee and ankle. Horizontal displacements of the upper trunk, hip and knee were recorded with an opto-electronic system (Selspot). A backward displacement of the trunk was accompanied by a forward displacement of the hip and knee. In general, the trunk started to move 30 ms before the hip and knee. Muscle activity first appeared in the ankle extensors (soleus/gastrocnemius) up to 150 ms prior to onset of prime mover muscles (trunk extensor, erector spinae; and hip extensors/knee flexors, hamstrings). This pre-activation was seldom followed by any detectable ankle joint movement. Prime mover muscles were activated simultaneously followed by the hip extensor gluteus maximus. Time to activation of muscles braking the movement (rectus abdominis, rectus femoris and vastus lateralis) was correlated with the amplitude of the primary movement (r = 0.63 0.75, P less than 0.01). Onset of activity in vastus lateralis was highly correlated with the amplitude of the forward displacement of the knee (r = 0.93, P less than 0.01). An associated postural adjustment appeared as an ankle flexion accompanied by activity in the ankle flexor tibialis anterior, and often also in the ankle extensors. This co-activation of antagonistic ankle muscles can under certain conditions have interesting functional implications for the control of posture.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Task specificity in the control of intrinsic trunk muscles in man.

The human trunk is a complex mechanical system comprised of large and small segments interconnected with several layers of muscles. An accurate control of this system is important during a variety of everyday tasks such as voluntary movements of the trunk, walking and running. This study was designed to investigate the interaction between muscles controlling the pelvis and the trunk during a variety of movements requiring a finely tuned coordination. Four subjects carried out seven different forms of fast oscillatory movements of the pelvis and trunk in the sagittal and transverse planes. Electromyographical activity (EMG) was recorded with surface electrodes from the abdominal muscles rectus abdominis (RA), obliquus externus (OE), obliquus internus (OI), and erector spinae (ES), from the hip flexor muscle rectus femoris (RF), the hip extensor muscle gluteus maximus (GM) and from the hip extensor/knee flexor muscles of the hamstrings group (HAM). Movements were recorded with an optoelectronic system (Selspot). The results indicate that during spontaneous flexion-extension movements of the trunk there was a basic alternating activation between a pure flexor (RF-RA-OE-OI) and an extensor synergy (ES-GM-HAM). Different mixed synergies appeared when more specific patterns of coordination of the pelvis and spine were performed. For example, during pelvic tilts in the sagittal plane, RA-OE-OI-GM formed a synergy which was activated reciprocally with ES. The neural circuitry controlling muscles of the pelvis and trunk is apparently adaptable to a variety of different tasks. Individual muscles were shown to either cause, brake or prevent a movement and to be integrated in several different task-specific motor synergies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗

PubMed2006

Trunk performance after stroke: an eye catching predictor of functional outcome.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Trunk performance is an important predictor of functional outcome after stroke. However, the percentage of explained variance varies considerably between studies. This may be explained by the stroke population examined, the different scales used to assess trunk performance and the time points used to measure outcome. The aim of this multicentre study was to examine the predictive validity of the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) and its subscales when predicting the Barthel Index score at 6 months after stroke. METHODS: A total of 102 subjects were recruited in three European rehabilitation centres. Participants were assessed on admission (median time since stroke onset 20 days) and 6 months after stroke. Correlation analysis and forward stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to model outcome. RESULTS: The best predictors of the Barthel Index scores at 6 months after stroke were total TIS score (partial R2 = 0.52, p<.0001) and static sitting balance subscale score (partial R2 = 0.50, p<.0001) on admission. The TIS score on admission and its static sitting balance subscale were stronger predictors of the Barthel Index score at 6 months than the Barthel Index score itself on admission. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasises the importance of trunk performance, especially static sitting balance, when predicting functional outcome after stroke. The TIS is recommended as a prediction instrument in the rehabilitation setting when considering the prognosis of stroke patients. Future studies should address the evolution of trunk performance over time and the evaluation of treatment interventions to improve trunk performance.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Applicability of segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis for predicting trunk skeletal muscle volume.

This study aimed to investigate the validity of using segmental bioelectrical impedance (BI) analysis for estimating skeletal muscle volume (MV) in the trunk, defined as the body segment from the acromion process to the greater trochanter. Using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method, the trunk MV was determined in 28 men (19 approximately 34 yr), divided into validation (n = 20) and cross-validation (n = 8) groups, and used as a reference (MV(MRI)). For BI measurements of the trunk, the source electrodes were placed at the dorsal surface of the third metacarpal bone of both hands and the dorsal surface of the third metatarsal bone of both feet, and the detector electrodes were placed at the acromion process of both shoulders and the greater trochanter of both femurs. Using this arrangement, the BI values of five parts of the trunk, both sides of the upper region, the middle region, and both sides of the lower region, were obtained and then used to calculate the whole trunk BI value and BI index (BI index(TR)). In the validation group, a simple regression analysis of the relationship between BI index(TR) and MV(MRI) showed a significant correlation between the two variables (r = 0.884, P < 0.05) and produced a prediction equation with a SE of estimation of 1,020.3 cm3 (8.5%). In the validation and cross-validation groups, there were no significant differences between the measured and estimated MV without systematic errors. These findings indicate that the segmental BI analysis employed in the present study can be used to estimate trunk MV.

Acromion↗

PubMed2004

Trunk position influences vestibular responses of fastigial nucleus neurons in the alert monkey.

Vestibulospinal reflexes play an important role for body stabilization during locomotion and for postural control. For an appropriate distribution of vestibular signals to spinal motoneurons, the orientation of the body relative to the head needs to be taken into account. For different trunk positions, identical vestibular stimuli must activate different sets of muscles to ensure body stabilization. Because the cerebellar vermis and the underlying fastigial nucleus (FN) might be involved in this task, vestibular neurons in the rostral FN of alert rhesus monkeys were recorded during sinusoidal vestibular stimulation (0.1-1.0 Hz) in the roll and pitch planes at different trunk-re-head positions (center and +/-45 degrees ). From the sensitivity and phase values measured in these planes, the response properties in the intermediate planes and the stimulus orientation eliciting the optimal response [response vector orientation (RVO)] were calculated. In most neurons, the RVOs rotated systematically with respect to the head, when trunk-re-head position was altered, so that they tended to maintain their orientation with respect to the trunk. Sensitivity and phase at the RVO were not affected. This pattern was the same for neurons in the right and left FN and independent of stimulus frequency. The average sensitivity of this partially compensatory RVO shift in response to trunk-re-head displacements, evaluated by linear regression analyses, was 0.59 degrees / degrees (n = 73 neurons). These data show that FN neurons may encode vestibular information in a coordinate system that is closer to a trunk-centered than to a head-centered reference frame. They indicate an important role of this nucleus in motor programs related to posture and gait control.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Effect of trunk restraint on the recovery of reaching movements in hemiparetic patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Reaching movements made with the affected arm in hemiparetic patients are often accompanied by compensatory trunk or shoulder girdle movements, which extend the reach of the arm. We investigated the effects of the suppression of these compensatory movements on reaching ability in hemiparetic individuals. METHODS: Eleven healthy and 11 hemiparetic individuals participated. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis was used to quantify reaches made to a close and a distant target (near the limit of arm's length). Unrestrained reaches were compared with those in which shoulder girdle and trunk movements were restrained by a harness. RESULTS: During unrestrained reaching, abnormal trunk recruitment and limitations in elbow and shoulder movements were correlated with the degree of clinical stroke severity (r=-0.91 to -0.96) in hemiparetic patients. During trunk restraint, ranges of elbow and shoulder joint movement increased in both groups. In addition, elbow and shoulder interjoint coordination improved. This was caused by increases in the range of joint motion as well as by a better dynamic temporal relation between joints. CONCLUSIONS: Trunk restraint allowed patients with hemiparetic stroke to make use of arm joint ranges that are present but not normally recruited during unrestrained arm-reaching tasks. Thus, the underlying "normal" patterns of movement coordination may not be entirely lost after stroke. Appropriate treatments, such as trunk restraint, may be effective in uncovering latent movement patterns to maximize arm recovery in hemiparetic patients.

Abdomen↗

PubMed2006

Asymmetry of retinal arteriolar branch widths at junctions affects ability of formulae to predict trunk arteriolar widths.

PURPOSE: To describe a revised formula for the estimation of retinal trunk arteriole widths from their respective arteriolar branch widths that improves the summarizing of retinal arteriolar diameters. METHODS: A group of young, healthy individuals underwent retinal photography and arteriolar and venular branching points were identified. Vessel widths of the vessel trunks and their branches were determined. The relationship between the branching coefficient (BC; quotient of the area of the branch and trunk vessels) and the asymmetry index (AI) of the vessel branches was explored. The result was used to formulate a new BC. To test the new BC, a second group of young, healthy individuals also underwent retinal photography. Arteriolar branching points were identified, and the trunk and branch arteriolar widths were recorded. This "revised" BC was compared against the gold standard of the BC as a constant value (1.28), as well as a theoretical formula for the BC that includes the angle between the two vessel branches. RESULTS: The BC of arterioles (but not venules) related to the AI (R = 0.275, P = 0.0001; BC arterioles = 0.78 +/- 0.63 . AI). In the second group, the mean arteriolar trunk diameter was 15.56 pixels. The linear regression model for the arteriolar BC was superior to the BC constant of 1.28 (mean difference between estimated and calculated trunk vessel width was 2.16 vs. 2.23 pixels, respectively). The model based on the angle between the branch arterioles was the least accurate (3.43 pixels). CONCLUSIONS: A revised formula has been devised for the arteriolar BC using a linear regression model that incorporates its relationship to the AI. Further studies using this refined formula to calculate the BC are needed to determine whether it improves the ability to detect smaller associations between the retinal vascular network and cardiovascular disease.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Influence of static lumbar flexion on the trunk muscles' response to sudden arm movements.

BACKGROUND: Viscoelastic creep of lumbar ligaments (prolonged forward bend) has been shown to negatively influence the spine's muscular reflexive behaviour and spinal stability. No studies to date have investigated the influence of spinal viscoelastic creep on the feedforward response of the trunk muscles to sudden arm raises. METHODS: Surface myoelectric activity was collected from the transversus abdominis/internal oblique, the lower erector spinae and the deltoid muscle during sudden ballistic arm raising before and after 10 minutes of prolonged forward bend in 11 healthy participants free of low back injury. The timing of trunk muscle activity relative to the deltoid muscle was calculated for 5 trials before and 5 trials after the creep procedure. RESULTS: Viscoelastic creep had no influence on the feedforward response of the trunk muscles during sudden arm raises. A feedforward response of the trunk muscles was not seen in every study participant and during every trial. CONCLUSION: Passive trunk muscle fatigue does not appear to influence the timing of the stabilizing role of the investigated trunk muscles to sudden arm flexion.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

The effect of lifting and lowering an external load on repositioning error of trunk flexion-extension in subjects with and without low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the repositioning error of trunk flexion-extension in individuals with low back pain is different from that in those not experiencing low back pain when lifting and lowering external loads. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: Physical therapy department of a medical centre. SUBJECTS: Twenty subjects with subacute low back pain and 20 control subjects without low back pain. INTERVENTIONS: Tasks with and without lifting and lowering an external load. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The trunk repositioning errors were measured with Measurand Shape Tape. RESULTS: In subjects with low back pain, trunk repositioning errors were significantly reduced when lifting and lowering an external load in the direction of flexion (3.77 +/- 1.26 degrees in a loaded condition versus 4.82 +/- 2.97 degrees in an unloaded condition; P < 0.05) and extension (3.17 +/- 2.15 degrees in a loaded condition versus 5.03 +/- 3.74 degrees in an unloaded condition; P < 0.05). In control subjects, trunk repositioning errors were not significantly changed when lifting and lowering an external load in the direction of flexion (2.80 +/- 1.39 degrees in a loaded condition versus 2.63 +/- 1.24 degrees in an unloaded condition; P > 0.05) and extension (2.87 +/- 11.40 degrees in a loaded condition versus 3.15 +/- 11.50 degrees in an unloaded condition; P > 0.05). The direction of motion (trunk flexion or extension) was not shown to be significant in this study. CONCLUSION: Performing the task whilst lifting or lowering a submaximal load showed a reduced trunk repositioning error in subjects with subacute low back pain. Lifting and lowering a submaximal load might be considered as one of the rehabilitative strategies to hasten a return to work.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Insulin-like growth factor-I and growth in height, leg length, and trunk length between ages 5 and 10 years.

OBJECTIVE: IGF-I, a major regulator of childhood growth, is also associated with the risk of several cancers in adult life. Adult height and particularly leg length are also associated with cancer risk. Prepubertal growth is more in leg than trunk length, and it has been suggested that leg length might be a biomarker of childhood IGF-I. However, there is little information on the association between childhood IGF-I and subsequent leg and trunk growth. In this study, we investigated the association of IGF-I measured at 5 and 7-8 yr with growth in height and the components of height (leg and trunk length) from 5 yr to 9-10 yr. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 675 children participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. RESULTS: IGF-I was strongly positively associated with growth in height in both sexes. Among boys, IGF-I was strongly associated with subsequent growth in both leg and trunk length, but there was no evidence that IGF-I was more strongly associated with one component of growth than the other. Among girls, IGF-I was strongly positively associated with growth in trunk but not leg length, although there was only weak evidence that these two associations differed in strength (P = 0.058). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the contention that the associations between height and cancer may be mediated by variation in childhood IGF-I. However, they provide no evidence to support the hypothesis that leg length is a better biomarker of childhood IGF-I levels than trunk length.

Anthropometry↗