Prevention of low backache in pregnancy

To document the effect of back care advice on the frequency and severity of low backache in pregnancy. Comparative cross sectional study. This study was conducted in Antenatal Outpatient department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from Jan 2012 to Jun 2012. Advice on back care was made available to a group of primigravidae women as early in their pregnancy as possible. For comparison another group of primigravidae women for which no such advice was given was recruited. Both groups were followed throughout pregnancy for the occurrence of low back pain and its severity. The study comprised of 200 primigravidae with 100 women each in study group and control group. Seventy eight women in study group and 65 in the control group reached term. Among the study group 28.2 % experienced low backache in contrast to control group in which 56.9% developed back pain during pregnancy. In the study group 68.1% were having mild, 27.2 % moderate and only 4.5% severe pain. In the control group majority of women experienced moderate to severe pain. Furthermore the study group had pain much later in gestation as compared to control group. Low backache was less common inprimigravidae women who receive advice on back care early in pregnancy. Low back pain, if present was less troublesome and severe than pregnant women for whom no such advice was available

Conservative management of proximal fifth metatarsal fractures [Jones fracture]

To determine the outcome of proximal fifth metatarsal fracture treated by POP [Plaster of Paris] cast. Descriptive Cross -sectional study. This study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology of KhyberTeaching Hospital, Peshawar from Jan 2012 to Jan 2013. Hundred patients with fracture of proximal fifth metatarsal bone [Jones fracture] were managed conservatively with plaster cast immobilization. Fracture healing and functional outcome was assessed. The mean age of the patients was 53 years. The clinical and radiological union rates at 6 months of follow up were 97% and 95.3% respectively. A progressive improvement in AOFAS [American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society] mid foot scale score was seen. Overall 92% patients were satisfied with theoutcome.Four patients had malunion and only one had nonunion. Acute fracture of proximal fifth metatarsal can be effectively managed by plaster cast immobilization