A team of scientists at the University of Sydney have been investigating why many treatments for low back pain, including medication, often do not give long term relief. The randomised controlled trial looked at 346 people from across Australia - all had chronic (long-term) low back pain and at least one other lifestyle risk such [...]
In 2022 low back pain (LBP) was the leading cause of disability across the world. In 2020, approximately 1 in 13 people (about 619 million people) had low back pain, which is a 60% increase compared to 1990. Furthermore cases of LBP are expected to rise to an estimated 843 million by 2050. The [...]
A new study from researchers at New York University looking at how the shape of the human lumbar spine has evolved over time, has suggested that modern day humans spines are more similar to Neanderthal spines than previously thought. The side on view of the human spine is not straight, it has four natural [...]
An excellent meeting with a lot of international speakers talking about topics ranging from the normal degenerative changes expected in the spine to issues that predominantly affect patients as they get older. Age-related degenerative changes in the spine are expected but can look quite worrying on MRI scans - it is important that patients understand these changes [...]
In October, NHS England launched a new, interactive web-based Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) pathway designed for use by clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs) at every stage of the CES patient pathway. Its function is to guide users through the important decisions they should work through in order that CES patients are diagnosed and treated [...]
I was invited to present two talks in Cape Town at the South African Spine Society’s 2023 meeting. I last talked at the SASS meeting in 2020 however due to Covid this was virtually so it was really good to actually attend in person and meet colleagues for lots of talks, discussions and debates about [...]
Following on from the report in the European Heart Journal last week about how a little as 15-20 minutes of walking is linked to living longer, another article by a panel of experts discussing the 12 major benefits of walking to your health has been published. Although walking is a simple exercise that most [...]
A study published in the European Heart Journal this week looked at how much exercise a week was needed to reduce the dying. Researchers looked at 72.00 people in the UK who all wore activity trackers on their wrists. The results were as follows: No vigorous exercise during an average week - 4% chance [...]
World Spine Day takes place every year on October 16th and this year the theme is “Every Spine Counts”. The theme focuses on the diversity of spinal pain and its potential disability as part of the global burden of disease. The focus is also on the need for assess to quality essential spinal [...]
It is well appreciated that ‘prehabilitation’ before surgery, especially before major surgeries, is very important. Prehabilitation includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, stopping smoking before an operation to optimise the surgery and improve the recovery/rehabilitation times. However this does not address the post-operative delirium or altered cognitive states which include confusion, loss of memory, [...]
