Changes in water content of intervertebral discs and paravertebral muscles before and after bed rest
Two articles on PainSci cite Matsumura 2009: 1. The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain 2. 6 Main Causes of Morning Back Pain
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
BACKGROUND: Although low back pain can be principally produced or increased during action, it may also be induced or enhanced in the morning after bed rest. During bed rest, tissue edema (increased water content) may occur. In this study, we measured the changes in water content in the intervertebral disc and the paravertebral muscle before and after bed rest using a magnetization transfer magnetic resonance imaging (MT-MRI) technique that permits measuring water content in tissues.
METHODS: A total of 20 student volunteers were enrolled in this study. MT-MRI evaluation was performed before and after bed rest. To measure water content in the intervertebral disc and paravertebral muscle, two MRI sequences were performed using MT pulse-off and MT pulse-on. Based on the two images obtained, the equivalent cross-relaxation rate (ECR) was calculated.
RESULTS: The ECR for intervertebral discs was significantly lower after bed rest than before bed rest (P < 0.01). The ECR for paravertebral equivalent cross-relaxation rate muscles was significantly higher after bed rest than before bed rest (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: We obtained results indicating that after bed rest the water content in the intervertebral disc and the paravertebral muscle was increased and decreased, respectively.
related content
- “Hypertrophy in the cervical muscles and thoracic discs in bed rest?,” Belavý et al, J Appl Physiol (1985), 2013.
- “Disc herniations in astronauts: What causes them, and what does it tell us about herniation on earth?,” Belavy et al, European Spine Journal, 2016.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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