Intradiscal pressure recordings in the cervical spine.

Pospiech J et al. Neuroserg Feb;44(2). 1999

I reported on a similar, interesting study previously; Prevalence of Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review (Xia, Xiao-Peng et al. Spine: 01 April;38 2013) and how the authors suggested the adjacent segments demonstrate consistent increases in degenerative changes post-surgery…and as we teach at our Kdt seminars, these segments often are “hyper-mobile” regions and classify as motion disorders i.e. they seem to improve pain/motion with Form/Force closure testing procedures and thus are ATM2 responsive conditions. They show greater degrees of degeneration than would be expected. Additionally if increases of IDP are occurring decompression is warranted as a co-treatment to address it.

In the above study; Pospiech et al looked at the cervical spine in vitro to establish normal values in the neck under physiological conditions post-fusion and under muscle-force (movement) simulation.

Results:  After fusion of C4-C5 there was marked IDP (intradiscal pressure) increases in both adjacent segments. With muscle-force simulation those figures were further increased.

Conclusion: Presuming an increase in IDP has a negative effect on metabolism of the IVD these results may help explain why progressive degeneration occurs in these segments.

Comment: Perhaps a further implication can be made for regular Chiropractic ‘mobilization’ exercises & procedures i.e decompression to help keep the disc metabolism more ‘normalized’ and thus help curtail excessive degeneration(?)