COVID-19 Worsens Chronic Lumbosacral Radicular Pain-Case Series Report.

The knowledge of the COVID-19 symptomatology has increased since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The symptoms of nervous system involvement have been observed across the spectrum of COVID-19 severity. Reports describing difficulties of nerve roots are rare; the affection of brain and spinal cord by SARS-CoV-2 is of leading interest. Our aim therefore is to describe the radicular pain deterioration in the group of nine chronic lumbosacral radicular syndrome sufferers in acute COVID-19. The intensity of radicular pain was evaluated by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The VAS score in acute infection increased from 5.6 ± 1.1 to 8.0 ± 1.3 (Cohen's d = 1.99) over the course of COVID-19, indicating dramatic aggravation of pain intensity. However, the VAS score decreased spontaneously to pre-infection levels after 4 weeks of COVID-19 recovery (5.8 ± 1.1). The acute SARS-CoV-2 infection worsened the pre-existing neural root irritation symptomatology, which may be ascribed to SARS-CoV-2 radiculitis of neural roots already compressed by the previous disc herniation. These findings based on clinical observations indicate that the neurotropism of novel coronavirus infection can play an important role in the neural root irritation symptomatology deterioration in patients with chronic pre-existing lumbosacral radicular syndrome.

Vertebral Algic Syndrome Treatment in Long COVID-Cases Reports.

Though pain is a frequent symptom of long COVID-19, little attention has been paid to vertebral algic syndrome. Therefore, we present the cases reports of two precisely selected physically active patients where vertebral algic syndrome and radiculopathy dramatically worsened in acute SARS-CoV-2 infections. The vertebral pain with radicular irritation was resistant to conservative treatment in chronic post-COVID syndrome. The neurological difficulties corresponded to the radiologic imaging presented on MRI scans. Due to the absence of standard therapeutic guidelines in literature sources, it was decided to provide routine therapeutic procedures. Spinal surgery with radicular decompression was performed within 6 months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. This led to the improvement of their neurological status and was in corroboration with decreases of VAS (from 9 to 0 in Patient 1 and from 7 to 1 in Patient 2). Our experience indicates that these patients benefited from the standard neurosurgical radicular decompression, and sufficient pain relief was achieved; nevertheless, the initial trigger of neurological worsening was acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Vertebral Pain in Acute COVID-19—Cases Report

Pain is one of the most common complaints among patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. While headache and chest pain are reported widely among COVID-19 presentations, there are only scarce reports about vertebral pain. This study aims to describe cases of four healthy and physically active adults, in whom the new onset of back pain was the early or only sign of COVID-19 and the reason for seeking medical outpatient care. The vertebral pain showed great variability and changed dramatically during the course of disease. Pseudoradicular symptoms were present inconstantly and variably;in some patients they varied through the day from left to right side and irradiated from various sensory root segments. Clinical symptoms did not correspond with minor morphological changes presented on MRI scans. Our experience indicates that new onset of vertebral algic syndrome should be considered as an initial indicator of novel coronavirus infection in healthy and physically active adults. There is a pressing need for attention to be paid in the examination of patients with new vertebral pain onset in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Relationship between Reactive Balance Control and Back and Hamstring Strength in Physiotherapists with Non-Specific Back Pain: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study.

Back pain is one of the most costly disorders among the worldwide working population. Within that population, healthcare workers are at a high risk of back pain. Though they often demonstrate awkward postures and impaired balance in comparison with healthy workers, there is no clear relationship between compensatory postural responses to unpredictable stimuli and the strength of related muscle groups, in particular in individuals with mild to moderate back pain. This paper presents a study protocol that aims to evaluate the relationship between peak anterior to peak posterior displacements of the center of pressure (CoP) and corresponding time from peak anterior to peak posterior displacements of the CoP after sudden external perturbations and peak force during a maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the back and hamstring muscles in physiotherapists with non-specific back pain in its early stages. Participants will complete the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire. Those that rate their back pain on the 0-10 Low Back Pain Scale in the ranges 1-3 (mild pain) and 4-6 (moderate pain) will be considered. They will undergo a perturbation-based balance test and a test of the maximal isometric strength of back muscles and hip extensors. We assume that by adding tests of reactive balance and strength of related muscle groups in the functional testing of physiotherapists, we would be able to identify back problems earlier and more efficiently and therefore address them well before chronic back disorders occur.