RESUMEN
Sagittal canal/vertebral body ratios were measured on cervical spine lateral radiographs of 124 professional football players and 100 rookie football players. A total of 894 levels were measured in 224 players. Thirty-two percent (40) of the 124 professional football players, and 34% of the 100 rookies had a ratio of less than 0.80 at one or more levels from C3 to C6. The 0.80 ratio has been considered indicative of cervical spinal stenosis. This is the first time that the incidence of spinal stenosis, as determined by Torg's ratio, has been demonstrated in a population of professional and rookie football players. Because one-third of this population has cervical spinal stenosis as determined by the Torg ratio, other factors should be considered in the evaluation of a player with a transient quadriplegic episode when making continued play decisions.
Asunto(s)
Fútbol Americano/lesiones , Estenosis Espinal/epidemiología , Humanos , Incidencia , Radiografía , Estenosis Espinal/diagnóstico , Estenosis Espinal/diagnóstico por imagenRESUMEN
In summary, the keys to proper management of lumbar spine problems in athletes include (1) comprehensive diagnosis; (2) aggressive, effective nonoperative care; and (3) pinpointing operations that do as little damage as possible to normal tissue but correct the pathologic lesion.
Asunto(s)
Traumatismos en Atletas/diagnóstico , Vértebras Lumbares/lesiones , Adulto , Traumatismos en Atletas/terapia , Dolor de Espalda/diagnóstico , Dolor de Espalda/terapia , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Terapia por Ejercicio , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
Fifteen professional baseball pitchers underwent active pitching motion analysis of the abdominal oblique, rectus abdominis, lumbar paraspinous and gluteus maximus muscles bilaterally via surface electrode evaluation. Baseline resting and isometric maximum values were obtained and active data referenced against these for comparison. The muscle activity then was measured during the pitching sequence and analyzed in each of the five pitching phases. The abdominal oblique, lumbar paraspinous and rectus abdominis contralateral to the pitching arm and the ipsilateral gluteus maximus all had increases in activity level of 75 to 100% during the active pitching motion. Using these data indicating specific muscle group patterns with clinical and performance data, we hope to minimize injuries and maximize pitching performance.
Asunto(s)
Béisbol , Contracción Muscular , Músculos/fisiología , Deportes , Músculos Abdominales/fisiología , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Electromiografía , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
One hundred and one disc levels in 36 patients with low-back pain were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (T2-weighted) sagittal images and conventional roentgenographic discography to detect early disc degeneration. Thirty-nine discs also were evaluated after discography with roentgenographic CT MRI findings were compared with discography results. MRI was 99% accurate in predicting normality or abnormality as determined by discography. Changes in disc signal on MRI accurately reflected the presence or absence of degenerative changes seen on discography in patients with low-back pain. Clinically, MRI is a useful technique for detecting early disc degeneration and for assessing the affected disc level and adjacent levels in patients with low-back pain and spondylolithesis.