STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. PURPOSE: To assess treatment outcomes of snowboarding-related spinal and spinal cord injuries. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Snowboarding-related spinal or spinal cord injury have a great impact on social and sporting activities. METHODS: A retrospective review of 19 cases of surgically treated snowboard-related injury was done. Analyzed parameters included site of injury, type of fracture, peri- and postoperative complications, pre- and postoperative neurological status, activities of daily living, and participation in sports activities at the final follow-up. RESULTS: The major site of injury was the thoracolumbar junction caused by fracture-dislocation (13/19 cases). The remaining 6 cases had cervical spine injuries. Over 60% of the patients had Frankel A and B paralysis. All patients were surgically treated by posterior fusion with instrumentation. Five underwent additional anterior fusion. Surgical outcome was restoration of ambulatory capacity in 12 patients (63.2%). Ultimately, 15 patients (78.9%) could return to work. Patients with complete paralysis upon admission showed reduced ambulatory capacity compared to those with incomplete paralysis. None of the patients again participated in any sports activities, including snowboarding. CONCLUSIONS: Snowboarding-related spinal or spinal cord injury has a great impact on social as well as sports activities. It is necessary to enhance promotion of injury prevention emphasizing the snowboarders' responsibility code.
Activities of Daily Living ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Return to Work ; Skiing* ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Injuries* ; Spine ; Sports

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sagittal alignment of the strut graft on graft subsidence and clinical outcomes after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: ACCF is a common technique for the treatment of various cervical pathologies. Although graft subsidence sometimes occurs after ACCF, it is one cause for poor clinical results. Malalignment of the strut graft is probably one of the factors associated with graft subsidence. However, to the best of our knowledge, no prior reports have demonstrated correlations between the alignment of the strut graft and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We evaluated 56 patients (33 men and 23 women; mean age, 59 years; range, 33–84 years; 45 with cervical spondylotic myelopathy and 11 with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament) who underwent one- or two-level ACCF with an autogenous fibular strut graft and anterior plating. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score recovery ratio for cervical spondylotic myelopathy was used to evaluate clinical outcomes. The JOA score and lateral radiograms were evaluated 1 week and 1 year postoperatively. Patients were divided into two groups (a straight group [group I] and an oblique group [group Z]) based on radiographic assessment of the sagittal alignment of the strut graft. RESULTS: Group I showed a significantly greater JOA score recovery ratio (p<0.05) and a significantly lower graft subsidence than group Z (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a straight alignment of the strut graft provides better clinical outcomes and lower incidence of graft subsidence after ACCF. In contrast, an oblique strut graft can lead to significantly increased strut graft subsidence and poor clinical results.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bone Transplantation ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Clinical Study ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Fusion ; Transplants*

Methods: Overall, 134 subjects aged ≥20 years with lower back pain were included (104 females; mean age, 70±9.8 years). Sagittal vertical alignment (SVA) and PT were analyzed radiographically. Patients were stratified into three groups based on SVA values: good alignment (group G), intermediate alignment (group I), and poor sagittal alignment (group P). Patients in group I were further categorized into two groups: low PT and high PT. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) was used for clinical assessment, and the scores were compared between groups. Results: As SVA increased, PT and lumbar lordosis (LL) increased and decreased, respectively. PT and LL differed significantly between groups G and P (p<0.01 for each comparison). Within group I, there was no significant difference in SVA between the high PT and low PT groups, suggesting that the high PT group had acquired a compensated sagittal balance. Importantly, all domains in the JOABPEQ (except for lower back pain) were significantly lower in the high PT group than in the low PT group (p<0.05 for every comparison). Conclusions This study showed that focusing solely on SVA as a single indicator can cause important losses in QOL to be overlooked in patients with lumbar disorders. Although pelvic retroversion can compensate for sagittal balance, it is associated with a significant decrease in QOL. To improve the assessment of patients with lumbar disorders, PT should be considered besides SVA.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

BACKGROUND: The living arrangement has been suggested as an important factor affecting health. Recent studies have also suggested that there was a risk among elderly persons who were not alone. This study examined whether the detailed living arrangement was associated with a future decline in functional capacity in the elderly, by gender, in a Japanese suburban city. METHODS: A 3-year longitudinal questionnaire survey (baseline: 2011; follow-up: 2014) for aged 65 years or older was conducted in Kurihara city, Japan. Of the respondents in the baseline survey, we analyzed those who scored 13 points (a perfect score which indicates the highest functional capacity; n = 2627) on the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence at the baseline. The exposure was living arrangement at baseline, divided into five categories: "with spouse only," "living alone," "with child and his/her spouse," "with child without his/her spouse," and "with other family/person." The outcome was the decline in functional capacity at the follow-up survey (score decreased to 10 points or less from 13 points). RESULTS: Of the 2627 analyzed population, 1199 (45.6%) were men. The incidence of the decline was 5.8% in men and 5.9% in women. Multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, educational attainment, and health behavior and condition revealed that in women, the odds ratio of the decline was higher in living with child and his/her spouse (2.41, 95% confidence interval; 1.10-5.28) referring to living with spouse only. When adjusting activities inside and outside the home such as housework additionally, the association was attenuated to marginal significance (2.25, 0.98-5.18). No statistical significance was observed in men. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that living with child and spouse of a child was associated with the future decline in women's functional capacity.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Geriatric Assessment ; Humans ; Independent Living ; statistics & numerical data ; Japan ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Self Report