Introduction to Ankylosing Spondylitis and Quality of Life Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton (spine and sacroiliac joints), presents unique and profound challenges that extend far beyond typical musculoskeletal pain. The assessment of treatment efficacy and disease burden in AS has fundamentally shifted over the past decades, moving […]
Introduction and Definition of Back Pain Back pain represents one of the most pervasive and debilitating conditions affecting the global population, characterized by discomfort, stiffness, or aching sensation localized anywhere from the cervical region down to the coccyx. While often initially triggered by a specific biomechanical event, such as a strain or injury, its persistence […]
Introduction to Back Trouble Beliefs and Chronic Pain The experience of low back pain (LBP) is influenced by a complex interplay of physiological, psychological, and social factors, a framework often referred to as the biopsychosocial model. While anatomical injury or degeneration may initiate an acute episode, the transition from acute to chronic pain is profoundly […]
Introduction to Back Pain Treatment Outcomes The assessment of back pain treatment outcomes represents a complex and multifaceted challenge within contemporary medicine, primarily due to the heterogeneous nature of low back pain (LBP) itself and the subjective experience of the patient. LBP is globally recognized as the leading cause of disability and imposes an enormous […]
Defining Back-Specific Body-Perception Back-Specific Body-Perception (BSBP) refers to the complex integration of sensory information related exclusively to the trunk and posterior torso, encompassing both conscious awareness and unconscious mapping of this critical anatomical region. This perception is built upon a continuous stream of afferent signals derived from the skin (exteroception), muscles, tendons, and joints (proprioception), […]