12. Pathophysiology Stage #4 Marked displacement of nerve root Symptoms: Severe neck/UE pain UE weakness and/or incoordination Loss of sensation and reflexes +/- surgery
17. More Practical Suggestions Set your ideal posture first Adapt the patient and environment to you Avoid sustained end range positions Take breaks from positions every 15-20 min. Avoid loupes/head lamps as able High Powered Reading Glasses as alternative? Dictation Headpiece vs. holding phone to ear
18. Exercises 1. Head Retraction Common Errors Tipping head back Tensing up neck/shoulders Thoraco-lumbar compensation Variations Add “overpressure” Stand at a wall Repeated or sustained
20. Exercises 3. Back Extension in Standing Variations Bend back over counter/chair
21. Exercises 2. Back Extension in Prone Common Errors Tensing back/buttocks Letting hips come off Variations Repeated or sustained Sustain position by propping on elbows Rest on pillows
22. Guidelines for Self-Care GREEN LIGHT No current symptoms Neck and Back exercises 5-10 reps, ≥5x/day Current symptoms: local neck, scapular or shoulder pain/stiffness Neck and Back exercises 5-10 reps, 10x/day Symptoms reduce/eliminated during and/or immediately after exercise
23. Guidelines for Self-Care YELLOW LIGHT I/M neck/back symptoms that respond to position change or movement Symptoms produced or increased during exercise no worse or better immediately after Neck and/or Back exercises 5-10 reps, 10x/day
24. Guidelines for Self-Care RED LIGHT – seek medical attention! Constant neck/back symptoms I/M or Constant radicular pain Loss of/change in extremity power, sensation, coordination Symptoms that are worse or peripheralized after exercise
Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. I am honored for this privilege and hopeful that it will be of benefit to you. As Dr. Fante mentioned, everything is evidence-based, and if you would like any references or resources, please ask me for them after the presentation or feel free to email me- my information is in the handout. If you have any questions during the presentation, feel free to ask as we go along.
Aid in prevention for this potentially devastating occupational work hazard.
I’m going to start with an anatomy review. The disc looks and behaves basically the same throughout the spine- it acts as a cushioning shock absorber made up of water and collagen.
Non-degenerated discs move predictably in this fashion, degenerated discs move less predicatbly. Review of the dynamic disc model that suggests that the nucleus pulposus migrates in response to movement and positions. Twelve articles were located that demonstrated in vitro and in vivo that the nucleus migrated anteriorly during extension ad posteriorly during flexion. There was limited and contradictory data to support this model in the symptomatic and degenerated disc.
There is a multitude of evidence demonstrating those who sit in slumped postures have significantly less trunk muscle activity.First ever study using upright magnetic resonance imaging of effect of functional positions on movement of the nucleus pulposus (NP) in 11 volunteers. In sitting there was significantly less lordosis than prone lying and standing, and significantly more posterior migration of the NP than other positions. FINGER ANALOGY
Forward Head Position = posterior migration of nucleus pulposus.More forward head posture has been associated with higher rates of neck pain and disability.Chronic placement of the head anterior to the body's center of gravity can be a component in the development of neurovascular and musculoskeletal dysfunction.
http://www.chirogeek.com/001_tutorial_birth_of_hnp.htmThe nucleus pulposus, because of the tremendous axial load upon it, It migrates in response to movements and positions. in 95% of healthy subjects the nucleus pulposus was displaced away from the direction of lateral flexion. In vivo flexion tends to cause posterior displacement of the nucleus pulposus and extension anterior displacement using MRI.
Asymptomatic
This is a grade III annular tear, hasn’t disrupted posterior annulus.Innervated tissue reached, but because one isn’t consciously aware of the posterior aspect of their C5/6 disc wall, they’ll feel symptoms of ….LEARNED FROM OPTHALMIC LECTURE: make pathophysiology relevant to them……*** Here is where (check this and if not here, find out where) we start having symptoms like a stiffness in the neck, tightness in the shoulder, or you “just woke up with it”.Another culprit is that individuals tend to blame an activity (gardening, shovelling snow etc) or sport that they do when they get hurt, but it may be that the problem was there all along, and that activity was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back to bring it to your conscious awareness.
Further migration of the nucleus into the anterior epidural spaceRupture of posterior longitudinal ligamentMarked displacement of transversing nerve rootOften indicates surgery*** After this slide, put in referred pain and find references for how disc can refer into the upper thoracic spine, and LE to foot!!!!
Change your environment to fit you. I encourage you to be creative because you’re much more familiar with this environment than I- turn the patients head, trendellenberg the table, I’m sure there are many possibilities. The key is to know the posture/position that YOU need to be in, and adjust accordingly as often as you can.Lumbar supports have been shown to reduce back pain in sitting, current practice dictates a stool… but there are stools available with lumbar support. If you want/need more info on this please see me after. The more hours you spend in lumbar flexion, the more likely you are to have an episode of acute non-specific LBP
Dropping one knee encourages more lumbar extension. a lordotic position, interspersed with regular movement, is the optimal sitting posture and assists in preventing back pain
what I’d like to suggest is to vary your position as there is research showing that workers with the least amount of medical visits due to spinal pain fluctuate their positions throughout the day- Varying the position has lower risk of injury…. Cite study of least injury with those who are always in different positions
Due to the nature of your work and current equipment for visualization, you’ll have to be in awkard positions… make sure you give your spine a break and get out of the posture when you can take a moment. Certainly if you feel pain, give the tissues a break… remember pain is protective and it’s trying to tell you that the pressure is on!
In a group of patients with neck and radicular pain a posture of sustained flexion caused a significant increase in peripheral pain and root compression as measured by H reflex amplitude. Repeated retractions caused a significant decrease in peripheral pain and decrease of nerve root compression.
Sitting uninterrupted with greater flexion leads to increased rates of neck and back pain
Easier to do during day
Obviously easier to do at home before/after surgery days, particularly long cases whilst sitting slouchedMore effective than standing
Symptoms gradually reduce with continued performance of exercises
Please raise your hand if you have any current symptoms- I/M pain, stiffness… please keep your hand up if you’re interested in addressing this issue.Lots of information jammed on here, and I apologize for that.. Please feel free to approach me here or send me an email if you have specific questions for your situationBelow the acromion process or fold of the buttock.PAIN IS PROTECTIVE and SERVES TO PROTECT AS A WARNING AGAINST TISSUE DAMAGE