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To explore whether the potential instability of the cervical spine and cervical muscle degeneration in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) affect the efficacy of cervical traction, and whether cervical traction can aggravate the potential instability of the cervical spine. We divided the 113 recruited CRS patients into three groups based on the differences in horizontal displacement and abnormal angle, and measured the degree of cervical muscle degeneration in the patients through MRI. Considering functional scores, VAS, NDI and PCS scores of the three groups post-treatment were significantly improved. Through the intergroup analysis, we found that the improvement in functional scores in the mild and moderate instability trend groups was better than that in the severe group. Through MRI measurements, we found that the degree of cervical muscle degeneration was significantly increased in the severe instability trend group. Regarding the changes in X-Ray imaging parameters pre- and post-treatment, no significant differences were observed pre- and post-treatment. For patients with CSR, the more serious their predisposition for cervical instability was, the more severe the degree of cervical muscle degeneration was, which means the worse the curative effect was, but cervical traction did not aggravate the potential degree of cervical instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The cervical spine, pivotal for mobility and overall body function, can be affected by cervical spondylosis, a major contributor to neural disorders. Prevalent in both general and military populations, especially among pilots, cervical spondylosis induces pain and limits spinal capabilities. Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) surgery, proposed by Cloward in the 1950s, is a promising solution for restoring natural cervical curvature. The study objective was to investigate the impacts of ACDF implant design on postsurgical cervical biomechanics and neurorehabilitation outcomes by utilizing a biofield head-neck finite element (FE) platform that can facilitate scenario-specific perturbations of neck muscle activations. This study addresses the critical need to enhance computational models, specifically FE modeling, for ACDF implant design. Materials and Methods We utilized a validated head-neck FE model to investigate spine–implant biomechanical interactions. An S-shaped dynamic cage incorporating titanium (Ti) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials was modeled at the C4/C5 level. The loading conditions were carefully designed to mimic helmet-to-helmet impact in American football, providing a realistic and challenging scenario. The analysis included intervertebral joint motion, disk pressure, and implant von Mises stress. Results The PEEK implant demonstrated an increased motion in flexion and lateral bending at the contiguous spinal (C4/C5) level. In flexion, the Ti implant showed a modest 5% difference under 0% activation conditions, while PEEK exhibited a more substantial 14% difference. In bending, PEEK showed a 24% difference under 0% activation conditions, contrasting with Ti's 17%. The inclusion of the head resulted in an average increase of 18% in neck angle and 14% in C4/C5 angle. Disk pressure was influenced by implant material, muscle activation level, and the presence of the head. Polyetheretherketone exhibited lower stress values at all intervertebral disc levels, with a significant effect at the C6/C7 levels. Muscle activation level significantly influenced disk stress at all levels, with higher activation yielding higher stress. Titanium implant consistently showed higher disk stress values than PEEK, with an orders-of-magnitude difference in von Mises stress. Excluding the head significantly affected disk and implant stress, emphasizing its importance in accurate implant performance simulation. Conclusions This study emphasized the use of a biofidelic head-neck model to assess ACDF implant designs. Our results indicated that including neck muscles and head structures improves biomechanical outcome measures. Furthermore, unlike Ti implants, our findings showed that PEEK implants maintain neck motion at the affected level and reduce disk stresses. Practitioners can use this information to enhance postsurgery outcomes and reduce the likelihood of secondary surgeries. Therefore, this study makes an important contribution to computational biomechanics and implant design domains by advancing computational modeling and theoretical knowledge on ACDF–spine interaction dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Cervical spondylosis in the warfighter is a common musculoskeletal problem and can be career-ending especially if it requires fusion. Head-mounted equipment and increased biomechanical forces on the cervical spine have resulted in accelerated cervical spine degeneration. Current surgical gold standard is anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) is a nonfusion surgical alternative, and this can be effective in alleviating radiculopathy from foraminal stenosis caused by disc-osteophyte complex. Biomechanical studies have not been done to analyze motion associated with military aircrew personnel following PCF. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical responses of the effects of ACDF and PCF with different grades of facet resection under simulated military aircrew conditions using range of motion, disc pressure, and facet loads at the index and adjacent levels. Materials and Methods A validated 3D finite element model of the human cervical spinal column was used to simulate various graded PCF and ACDF. All surgical simulations were performed at the most commonly operated level (C5-C6) in warfighters. Pure moment loading under flexion, extension, and lateral bending, and in vivo follower force of 75 N were applied to the intact spine. Hybrid loading protocol was used to achieve 134 degrees of combined flexion-extension and 83 degrees of lateral bending in intact and surgical models to reflect military loading conditions. Segmental motions, disc pressure, and facet load were obtained and normalized with respect to the intact model to quantify the biomechanical effect. Results Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion decreased range of motion at the index and increased motion at the adjacent levels, while all graded PCF responses had an opposite trend: increased motion at the index and decreased motion at adjacent levels. The magnitude of changes depended on the level of resection, spinal level, and loading mode. Disc pressure increased at the index level and decreased at the adjacent levels after PCF. These changes were exaggerated with increasing extent of facet resection. Facet load increased at the index level after PCF especially with extension and right (contralateral) lateral bending. Complete facetectomy led to facet load increases greater than ACDF at the adjacent levels in both flexion and extension. Conclusions Posterior cervical foraminotomy is a motion-preserving implant-free surgical alternative to ACDF for warfighters with cervical radiculopathy after failure of conservative management. The treating surgeon must pay close attention to the extent of facet resection to avoid potential spinal instability and future disc and facet degeneration after PCF. Posterior cervical foraminotomy can be more advantageous than ACDF in terms of adjacent segment degeneration, motion preservation, reoperation rate, surgical cost, and retention of warfighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To put forward a new index of cervical curvature evaluation - relative cervical curvature area, and a new classification of cervical spine was proposed according to the relative cervical curvature area. A total of 167 subjects with cervical spondylosis were included in the study. Firstly, 119 subjects were selected to measure C2-C7 lordosis angle by Cobb angle method, Harrison posterior tangent method, and Jackson physiological stress line method, and then their relative cervical curvature area, C1-C7 Cobb angle, C7 slope, and T1 slope were measured. The correlation between relative cervical curvature area and 3 measurement methods and common sagittal parameters was analyzed. According to the angle classification method, we calculated the diagnostic boundary value of the relative cervical curvature area classification, and selected 48 subjects to evaluate its diagnostic efficacy. Finally, 119 subjects were re-evaluated according to the diagnostic threshold and the number of intersections to verify the feasibility of the new classification. The results showed that the relative cervical curvature area index had good intraobserver and interobserver repeatability. Relative cervical curvature area was correlated with Harrison posterior tangent method (r = 0.930), Cobb angle method (r = 0.886), and Jackson physiological stress line method (r = 0.920), and correlated with C1-C7 Cobb angle, C7 slope, and T1 slope. The relative cervical curvature area has a good diagnostic performance for distinguishing patients with lordosis, straightening, and kyphosis. According to the new classification of cervical spine, 119 subjects were divided into 57 simple lordosis, 11 simple straightening, 4 simple kyphosis, 26 S-type, and 21 RS-type. The relative cervical curvature area uses the area parameter instead of the original angle parameter and distance parameter to incorporate the change of segmental curvature, which makes up for the shortcomings of the Cobb angle method that only evaluates the curvature of 2 vertebrae, and better reflects the cervical curvature. Studies have shown that relative cervical curvature area has good repeatability and diagnostic value, and found that it has a good correlation with common cervical sagittal parameters. The new classification of cervical spine makes up for the disadvantage that the angle classification method cannot distinguish between S-type and RS-type, and initially proposes to use the number of intersections and the relative absolute value area to reflect the severity of S-type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrospective Cohort Study. This study measures the subcutaneous fat index (SFI) of the cervical spine in patients with spinal cervical spondylosis using cervical magnetic resonance imaging and explores its relationship with neck pain in patients with spinal cervical spondylosis. In this single-center retrospective study, 298 patients hospitalized for spinal cervical spondylosis between January and June 2021 were initially considered. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 93 patients were enrolled. The cervical magnetic resonance imaging data for these patients were analyzed using A-Site software. The SFI was measured at the median sagittal plane on T2-weighted images. Patients were categorized into 2 groups based on their admission complaints: those with cervical pain and those without it. Differences between these groups were then statistically analyzed. The mean SFIs with standard deviations for the neck and non-neck pain groups were 36.4% ± 7.7% and 27.0% ± 7.9%, respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0.0001). The SFI was consistently higher across all neck segments in the neck pain group compared to the nonneck pain group (P < 0.05). The 2 groups had no statistically significant difference in the body mass index. The SFI provides a more precise assessment of muscle and fat distribution in the posterior cervical region than body mass index and is generally higher in patients with spinal cervical spondylosis who experience neck pain. These findings suggest the importance of early functional exercises postsurgery for potentially improving surgical outcomes in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research aimed to ascertain the effects of acupuncture at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in combination with sling exercise therapy (SET) on the clinical recovery and cervical spine biomechanics in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CRS). Methods: Eighty patients with CSR were divided into Group A and Group B. Group A was treated with acupuncture at MTrPs, and Group B was treated with acupuncture at MTrPs combined with SET. The cervical spine function, pain level, cervical spine biomechanics and the occurrence of complications were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores, Clinical Assessment Scale for Cervical Spondylosis scores, cervical forward flexion angle, posterior extension angle, left lateral flexion angle, right lateral flexion angle, left lateral rotation angle, and right lateral rotation angle of the Group B were raised, and the Neck Disability index, Visual Analogue Scale scores, and Neck Pain Questionnaire scores were reduced versus those of the Group A. The difference in complication rates between the two groups was not of statistical significance. Conclusion: Acupuncture at MTrPs combined with SET promotes functional recovery of the cervical spine, reduces pain, and improves cervical spine biomechanics in patients with CRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on equine lumbar pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds. Objectives: To describe pathological changes of the osseous lumbar vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses. Study design: Descriptive post‐mortem study. Methods: The lumbar vertebral columns of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses were examined by computed tomography (CT). Osteoarthritis (OA) of articular processes (APJs), OA of intertransverse joints (ITJs), intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous (SPs) and transverse (TPs) processes and spondylosis were scored. Breed differences in prevalence and severity of pathologies were analysed by linear regression analysis and by calculating Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (rs). Results: In Warmblood horses, the prevalence of OA of APJs, impingement of SPs and TPs was respectively 90%, 36%, and 35%, significantly higher than in the other breeds (p < 0.001). In Konik horses, IVD mineralisation (40%) and spondylosis (10%) were more frequent than in Warmbloods and Shetland ponies (p = 0.03). Severity score for OA of ITJs was highest in Shetland ponies (p < 0.001). For impingement of SPs, severity score was highest in Warmbloods (p = 0.03), and of TPs lowest in Shetland ponies (p = 0.003). For all parameters, except for spondylosis in Shetland ponies, there was a positive correlation between percentage of vertebrae affected and age, with IVD mineralisation scores increasing faster in Konik horses (p < 0.001). In all breeds, there was also a positive relation between scores of severity and age for OA of APJs and ITJs and for IVD mineralisation, with severity scores increasing faster in Shetland ponies (p = 0.04). Strong left/right correlations of the severity scores were seen for OA of the APJ, ITJ, impingement of TPs, and paramedian spondylosis (rs = 0.74–0.86, all p < 0.001). Main limitations: Clinical histories were not available. Conclusions: There are distinct breed differences between prevalence and severity of osseous pathologies of the lumbar spine. Warmblood horses have higher scores for most pathologies with IVD mineralisation being more important in Konik horses and OA of ITJs in Shetland ponies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLumbar spondylosis is a common condition that is quite prevalent, affecting 57% of Indian men. Ayurveda, an indigenous medical system, is highly efficient in treating this ailment when it is in a mild to moderate state. This case report aims to provide a detailed account of a successfully managed case of lumbar spondylosis characterized by severe lumbar pain. A 59-year-old man, who has been suffering from lumbar spondylosis for the last 8 years, was presented with complaints of severe to moderate low back pain, disability, and pain in both legs. According to Ayurvedic principles, the condition was diagnosed as “Katigraha,” and a nine-day treatment plan, including three Niruha Basti consecutively, followed by one Anuvasan Basti with the use of Ayurvedic medications was suggested. The lumbar pain severity fell from 8 to 2 points, while the leg pain decreased from 7 to 1 point. The Oswestry Low Back Disability Index (ODI) showed a significant reduction, from 49 to 18. The flexion and extension range of motion grew from 1 to 3 cm, and from 1 to 2 cm, respectively. The case study indicates a reduction in severe low back pain, but further investigation is required to determine the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To understand the prevalence and characteristics of cervical spondylosis among bus drivers and analyze its possible influencing factors, providing the scientific basis for improving the health status of bus drivers. Methods In January 2024, a cross -sectional survey was conducted among 551 bus drivers in a certain region, and the basic information on the drivers, information on the prevalence of cervical spondylosis diagnosed by hospitals, driving characteristics, and lifestyle characteristics of these drivers were collected using the electronic questionnaire titled“Survey on the Prevalence and Influencing Factors of Cervical Spondylosis Among Bus Drivers.” The Pearson χ² test was used for univariate analysis of the prevalence of cervical spondylosis among different characteristic groups, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the main influencing factors of cervical spondylosis. Results The prevalence of cervical spondylosis among these 551 bus drivers was 16.3% . Univariate analysis found that the prevalence of cervical spondylosis was higher in males than in females (P < 0.05); drivers with 16 to 20 years of service had a higher prevalence of cervical spondylosis than those with 10 to 15 years of service (P < 0.05); those who maintained the same neck posture for long periods and those with insufficient break time had the higher prevalence of cervical spondylosis (both P < 0.01); drivers who often felt tense during driving operations and those who often felt work pressure had the higher prevalence of cervical spondylosis (both P < 0.01); drinkers had a higher prevalence of cervical spondylosis than non - drinkers (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, compared to drivers with 10 to 15 years of service, no work pressure, and non-drinkers, drivers with 16 to 20 years of service (OR = 2.014, P = 0.008), those who often felt work pressure (OR = 3.851, P < 0.001), and drinkers (OR = 1.700, P = 0.047) had a higher risk of cervical spondylosis. Conclusions The prevalence of cervical spondylosis among bus drivers was higher than that of the general adult population in China. Attention should be paid to drivers with longer service years, and a series of intervention measures should be formulated to reduce their work pressure, encourage good lifestyle habits, and protect cervical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate potential of enhancing image quality, maintaining interobserver consensus, and elevating disease diagnostic efficacy through the implementation of deep learning-based reconstruction (DLR) processing in 3.0 T cervical spine fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, compared with conventional images. Methods: The 3.0 T cervical spine MRI images of 71 volunteers were categorized into two groups: sagittal T2-weighted short T1 inversion recovery without DLR (Sag T2w-STIR) and with DLR (Sag T2w-STIR-DLR). The assessment covered artifacts, perceptual signal-to-noise ratio, clearness of tissue interfaces, fat suppression, overall image quality, and the delineation of spinal cord, vertebrae, discs, dopamine, and joints. Spanning canal stenosis, neural foraminal stenosis, herniated discs, annular fissures, hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum or vertebral facet joints, and intervertebral disc degeneration were evaluated by three impartial readers. Results: Sag T2w-STIR-DLR images exhibited markedly superior performance across quality indicators (median = 4 or 5) compared to Sag T2w-STIR sequences (median = 3 or 4) (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two sequences in terms of diagnosis and grading (p > 0.05). The interobserver agreement for Sag T2w-STIR-DLR images (0.604–0.931) was higher than the other (0.545–0.853), Sag T2w-STIR-DLR (0.747–1.000) demonstrated increased concordance between reader 1 and reader 3 in comparison to Sag T2w-STIR (0.508–1.000). Acquisition time diminished from 364 to 197 s through the DLR scheme. Conclusions: Our investigation establishes that 3.0 T fast MRI images subjected to DLR processing present heightened image quality, bolstered diagnostic performance, and reduced scanning durations for cervical spine MRI compared with conventional sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low back and neck pain are common musculoskeletal disorders with multiple treatment options. India's traditional medical systems, known as Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy) offer range of interventions and are widely used. In view of limited documentation of adverse events following Ayush interventions for lumbar and cervical spondylosis, we synthesized evidence and estimated proportion of studies reporting adverse events. Methods: We systematically searched all published documents from biomedical and multidisciplinary abstract and citation databases and Ayush-specific repositories from their inception to April 2021. We selected studies as per inclusion criteria and extracted information, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. We systematically reviewed the qualitative evidence form the selected studies. Results: Majority (94%) of the selected 113 studies were interventional studies and included 77 (68.1%) journal articles and 35 (31%) academic dissertations. Among the Ayush systems, considerable proportion was from Ayurveda (32.7%), followed by Siddha (24.8%), Yoga (22.1%), Unani (15.9%) and Homoeopathy (4.4%). Almost three-fourths of the studies were on lumbar spondylosis (65%; n = 74), followed by cervical spondylosis (31%; n = 35), and the remaining four included both. Thirteen percent of the 113 studies described adverse events [Yoga = 9.7%; Unani = 1.8% and Homoeopathy = 1.8%]. More adverse events were reported among the studies on lumbar (9.7%) than cervical spondylosis (2.7%). The nature of interventions were non-pharmacological (10.6%; n = 12), pharmacological (n = 2; 1.8%) or combined (n = 1; 0.9%). Conclusions: Only one in eight studies reported any adverse event following Ayush interventions for cervical and lumbar spondylosis. There could be certain degree of underreporting of adverse events and requires further exploration. PROSPERO Registration ID CRD42020167433. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Retrospective cohort analysis. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the removal of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) affects the mid-term outcome of anterior cervical fusion for cervical spondylosis with sympathetic symptoms(CSSS). Methods: From January 2012 to July 2013, 66 patients who were diagnosed with CSSS with ≥ 10-year follow-up at our institution were assessed. All patients were divided into two groups: Group A (36 cases) in which patients underwent anterior cervical fusion with PLL resection and Group B (30 cases) in which patients underwent anterior cervical fusion without PLL resection. The sympathetic symptom 20-point system was used to evaluate the sympathetic symptoms, such as tinnitus, headache and vertigo, etc. And the neurological status was assessed by the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores. Clinical and radiologic data were evaluated preoperatively, 9 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 60 months, and 120 months postoperatively. Data collected included all perioperative complications as morbidities that occurred during the period of follow-up. Results: The postoperative JOA scores and 20-point score can be significantly improved compared with preoperative whether the PLL is removed in both groups. However, the postoperative 20-point score of patients in group A was significantly different from that in group B. No loosening and displacement of prosthesis occurred. Conclusion: A better clinical effect could be attained when resecting the PLL in the operation. The PLL may play an important role in CSSS. The mid-term outcomes of anterior cervical fusion with PLL resection were satisfied in treating CSSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of He 's fire acupuncture combined with filiform acupuncture on neck pain symptoms and local skin temperature in patients with neck type cervical spondylosis of wind cold obstruction type. Methods: From January 2020 to November 2022, 64 patients with neck type cervical spondylosis of wind cold obstruction type were recruited from the outpatient department of our hospital. They were divided into observation group and control group according to the random number table method, 32 cases in each group. The control group was treated with simple filiform temperature, and the observation group was treated with He's fire temperature combined with filiform temperature, both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The changes of pain visual analogue scale (VAS), tenderness threshold and local skin temperature were observed before treatment and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after treatment. Results: After treatment, the VAS scores of the two groups at each time point were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and after 4 weeks of treatment, the VAS score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the tenderness threshold of the two groups at each time point was higher than that before treatment(P<0.05), and after 1 week of treatment, the tenderness threshold of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the local skin temperature of the two groups at each time point was higher than that before treatment(P<0.05), and the local skin temperature of the observation group was higher than that of the control group at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after treatment(P<0.05). Conclusion: He's fire acupuncture combined with filiform acupuncture in the treatment of neck type cervical spondylosis of wind cold obstruction type can significantly relieve the symptoms of neck pain and improve the local skin temperature of the neck, the onset time and clinical efficacy are better than those of simple filiform needle therapy, which is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the risk factors associated with frozen shoulder (FS) and develop a predictive model for diagnosing FS, in order to facilitate early detection of the condition. A total of 103 patients diagnosed with FS and admitted to the Department of Joint Surgery at Suining Central Hospital between October 2021 and October 2023 were consecutively included in the study. Additionally, 309 individuals without shoulder joint diseases, matched for age and gender, who visited the department during the same time, were included as the control group.The complete recording of clinical data for all patients was followed by the utilization of statistical tests such as the Mann–Whitney U test, sample t test, and chi-square test to compare different groups. Additionally, multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of FS in patients, leading to the establishment of a prediction model and derivation of a simplified equation. The diagnostic effectiveness of individual indicators and prediction models was assessed through the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In the sample of 103 individuals, 35 were identified as male and 68 as female, with an average age range of 40–70 years (mean age: 54.20 ± 6.82 years). The analysis conducted between different groups revealed that individuals with a low body mass index (BMI), in conjunction with other factors such as diabetes, cervical spondylosis, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia, were more susceptible to developing FS. Logistic regression analysis further indicated that low BMI, diabetes, cervical spondylosis, and hyperlipidemia were significant risk factors for the occurrence of FS. These variables were subsequently incorporated into a predictive model, resulting in the creation of a simplified equation.The ROC curve demonstrated that the combined indicators in the predictive model exhibited superior diagnostic efficacy compared to single indicators, as evidenced by an area under the curve of 0.787, sensitivity of 62.1%, and specificity of 82.2%. Low BMI, diabetes, cervical spondylosis, and hyperlipidemia are significant risk factors associated with the occurrence of FS. Moreover, the utilization of a prediction model has demonstrated superior capability in forecasting the likelihood of FS compared to relying solely on individual indicators. This finding holds potential in offering valuable insights for the early diagnosis of FS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of the cervical range of motion (CROM) is significant for early diagnosis of cervical spondylosis and determination of the severity of the disease. Aiming at the problem of convenient and continuous measurement of CROM and the reduction of the impact of data fluctuations, this paper proposes a low‐cost method for testing and analyzing CROM. This paper analyzes the correspondence between smartphone orientation sensor angle and CROM, obtains smartphone orientation sensing data, and uses the extreme‐point symmetric mode decomposition method by calculating the energy of the difference value to extract the adaptive global mean curve of the CROM data, and calculates the cervical ROM. The statistical analysis of the CROM test results is carried out. Results show that the method proposed can obtain the CROM including flexion and extension, lateral flexion, and rotation in a single measurement, which has the advantages of continuous measurement and low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design A retrospective observational study. Purpose This study aimed to determine an accurate and convenient screening method for predicting proximal junctional fractures (PJFr) following surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD) using computed tomography (CT)-based measurement of Hounsfield units (HUs). Overview of Literature CT-based measurement of HUs is an alternative tool for assessing bone mineral density. However, the optimal method for predicting adjacent vertebral fractures following spinal fusion using HUs remains unclear. Methods This retrospective observational study included 42 patients who underwent reconstructive surgery for ASD. Elliptical regions of interest (ROIs) on the axial section and rectangular ROIs on the sagittal section were placed at the upper instrumented vertebrae (UIV), UIV+1, and UIV+2. In addition, the HU value of the L2 vertebra was used as the representative. Results PJFr occurred in 28.6% of patients within 2 years following surgery. The HU values obtained from the axial sections of L2, UIV, UIV+1, and UIV+2 were not significantly associated with the incidence of PJFr within 2 years, except for the ROI set in the lower region of the L2 vertebra. However, the HU value of the anterior third of the UIV in the sagittal section was significantly lower in the PJFr group than in the nonPJFr group (87.0 vs. 160.3, p=0.001). A UIV HU value of 100 (p

AbstractBackgroundPurposeMethodsResultsConclusionThe incidence of cervical spondylosis is increasing, gradually affecting people’s normal lives. Establishing a finite element model of the cervical spine is one of the methods for studying cervical spondylosis. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) still has certain difficulties in transitioning from human imaging to establishing muscle models suitable for finite element analysis. Medical software provides specific morphologies and can generate muscle finite element models. Additionally, there is little research on the static analysis of cervical spine finite element models with solid muscle.A new method is proposed for establishing a finite element model of the cervical spine based on CT (Computed Tomography) data and medical software, and the model’s effectiveness is validated. Human movement characteristics based on the force distribution in various parts are analyzed and predicted.The muscle model is reconstructed in medical software and a three-dimensional finite element model of the entire cervical spine (C0–C7) is established by combining muscle models with CT vertebral data models. 1.5 Nm of load is applied to the finite element model to simulate the cervical spine movement.The finite element model was successfully established, and effectiveness was verified. Stress variations in various parts under six movements were obtained. The effectiveness of the model was basically verified.The finite element model of the cervical spine for mechanical analysis can be successfully established by using medical software and CT data. In daily life, the C2–3, C3–4, C4–C5 intervertebral discs, rectus capitis posterior major, longus colli, and obliquus capitis inferior are more prone to injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]