[Coping with pain]. / Schmerzbewältigung.

Chronic pain is to be understood as a complex syndrome influenced by its intensity, character, localisation and time aspects as well as the subjective feeling of impairment and the accompanying emotions and cognitions. Based on the biopsychosocial concept of pain, therapies have to be multimodal to take into account the various dimensions of pain. One element of multimodal pain therapy is pain coping skills training, aimed at giving pain patients increasingly greater control over their pain by following the didactic guideline of small steps at a time. In addition to giving them disease-specific information, patients are supposed to learn to recognize dysfunctional components of their pain disorder and to alter them. Improved health and increased joy of living as well as a decrease of stressor-related activation (pain being the stressor) are the objectives of the training. Coping with pain as a programme aims at helping patients to help themselves. Pain coping skills training is indicated for patients already suffering from chronic pain or running a risk of pain chronicity.

Biomechanical investigations on chondromalacia of the knee after meniscal flap lesion and partial meniscal resection: an experimental model.

Meniscal tears and resections may cause chondral lesions of the knee. To eliminate muscular control during investigation of this problem, we designed a biomechanical setup based on a knee-joint simulator, ensuring physiological, free-motion mobility of the joint. Fresh human knee specimens with intact cartilage were exposed to loads to 2,000 N at a frequency of 0.85 Hz during 48 hours of gait. After a preliminary test series, 18 specimens were divided into three groups: group I was tested with unchanged meniscal status, group II with arthroscopically induced mobile flap tears at the posterior horns of the menisci, and group III after partial resection of the posterior horns. Motion patterns between the groups changed after as little as a few hours due to increased translation in group III. Macroscopic and histological examination and scanning electron microscopy revealed severe chondromalacic changes after meniscal resection. We conclude that meniscal resection-however partial-may have considerable joint-damaging potential if muscle control is lacking whereas mobile flap tears maintain stability. Our findings might explain the differences in clinical reports on cartilage status after partial meniscal resection. This study underlines the importance of muscle training when active stabilisation of the knee is reduced after partial meniscal resection.

[Injection therapy in lumbar syndromes]. / Injektionstherapie bei Lumbalsyndromen.

Injection therapy as part of orthopaedic pain treatment is of major importance in sciatica. It helps to differentiate unclear complaints and allows a break through of the vicious circle of pain and muscle spasm. Pharmacological principles and possible complications have to be observed. The different techniques need experience and manual training. The paper describes the various injection techniques in detail.

[Medical training therapy in lumbar syndromes]. / Medizinische Trainingstherapie bei Lumbalsyndromen.

Chronic low back pain can be considered to be one of the most frequently treated and most costly diseases in modern industrial societies. Dysfunctions and imbalances of the spine-supporting muscles increase the risk of low back pain. Consequently preventive treatment and rehabilitation have to aim at preserving and restoring the full capacity of the spine-supporting muscles as well as training coordination and spine-friendly behaviour. In addition to various measures of pain therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment including neuro-physiotherapy, physical treatment (eg electrotherapy), balneotherapy and supportive behavioural training, medical rehabilitation therapy (MRT) ranks among the most effective ways of treating low back pain. MRT applies guidelines and methods of exercise methodology within medically indicated programmes of preventive treatment and rehabilitation. Various objectives of MRT are outlined with special regard to the stages of MRT treatment, emphasizing positive adaptation of the neuro-muscular system in the course of rehabilitation. Physicians are responsible for MRT diagnosis and control. Taking into account the base disorder and the progress of therapy physiotherapists and the physicians in charge determine MRT objectives and treatment strategies.

[Surgical approach in lumbar intervertebral disk displacement. Topographical principles and characteristics]. / Operativer Zugang beim lumbalen Bandscheibenvorfall. Topographische Grundlagen und Besonderheiten.

For the operative procedure in lumbar disc extrusion it is important to expose the prolapsed disc and sequestrum without disintegration of the musculature and branches of r. dorsalis nervi spinalis or provoking lesions in the spinal canal. A classification helps to determine exact description of localization of disc material in craniocaudal and mediolateral directions. It can be correlated with the interlaminar window as a structure seen in the operative procedure. A speculum helps to limit the exposure for an interlaminar as well as a lateral access, thus reaching the structures concerned in the spinal canal with minimal irritation of the surrounding tissues. For interlaminar access partial excision of the lig. flavum is sufficient. The extrusions in the foraminal region that can be exposed laterally from a medial skin incision, as well as from a paramedial are between m. multifidus and m. longissimus. In revision surgery, the upper laminar corner is advantageous for entering the spinal canal.

Medical training therapy in lumbar syndromes.

Chronic low back pain can be considered to be one of the most frequently treated and most costly diseases in modern industrial societies. Dysfunctions and imbalances of the spine-supporting muscles increase the risk of low back pain. Consequently preventive treatment and rehabilitation have to aim at preserving and restoring the full capacity of the spine-supporting muscles as well as training coordination and spine-friendly behaviour. In addition to various measures of pain therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment including neuro-physiotherapy, physical treatment (eg electrotherapy), balneotherapy and supportive behavioural training, medical rehabilitation therapy (MRT) ranks among the most effective ways of treating low back pain. MRT applies guidelines and methods of exercise methodology within medically indicated programmes of preventive treatment and rehabilitation. Various objectives of MRT are outlined with special regard to the stages of MRT treatment, emphasizing positive adaptation of the neuro-muscular system in the course of rehabilitation. Physicians are responsible for MRT diagnosis and control. Taking into account the base disorder and the progress of therapy physiotherapists and the physicians in charge determine MRT objectives and treatment strategies.

Injection therapy in lumbar syndromes.

Injectiontherapy as part of orthopaedic pain treatment is of major importance in sciatica. It helps to differentiate unclear complaints and allows a break through of the vitious circle of pain and muscle spasm. Pharmacological principals and possible complications have to be observed. The different techniques need experience and manual training. The paper describes the various injection techniques in detail.

Topographical principles and peculiarities of operative access in lumbar disc extrusion.

For the operative procedure in lumbar disc extrusion it is important to expose the prolapsed disc and sequestrum without disintegration of the musculature and branches of r. dorsalis nervi spinalis or provoking lesions in the spinal canal. A classification helps to determine exact description of localization of disc material in craniocaudal and mediolateral directions. It can be correlated with the interlaminar window as a structure seen in the operative procedure. A speculum helps to limit the exposure for an interlaminar as well as a lateral access, thus reaching the structures concerned in the spinal canal with minimal irritation of the surrounding tissues. For interlaminar access partial excision of the lig. flavum is sufficient. The extrusions in the foraminal region that can be exposed laterally from a medial skin incision, as well as from a paramedial are between m. multifidus and m. longissimus. In revision surgery, the upper laminar corner is advantageous for entering the spinal canal.