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Introduction: Spinopelvic malalignment causes continual backache. Intervertebral Disc Degeneration (IDD) is a leading cause of low backache. Understanding the relationship between spinopelvic parameters and IDD can help with better diagnosis and treatment and avoid unnecessary investigations. Aim: To measure radiographic spinopelvic parameters of patients diagnosed with varying grades of IDD in the lumbosacral spine on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and to compare them with radiographs of the asymptomatic population (controls). Materials and Methods: A hospital-based retrospective observational study was done from January 2021 to August 2022 at a tertiary care hospital in Uttar Pradesh, India with 80 patients diagnosed with IDD on MRI and 80 controls. Cases were defined as patients diagnosed to have IDD on MRI and controls were those individuals who did not have disc degeneration on MRI. Lateral lumbosacral spine radiographs were taken, and spinopelvic parameters {Pelvic Tilt (PT), Sacral Slope (SS), Pelvic Incidence (PI), Lumbar Lordosis (LL), lumbo-sacral angle, and sacral horizontal angle} were measured using Surgimap Spine Software. T-test and Chi-square test were used for comparison between cases and controls. Results: Six patients had asymmetric disc bulge, 11 had symmetric disc bulge, 18 had disc extrusion and 45 had disc protrusion. Mean PT in patients with IDD was 11.05±3.84°, and control was 8.65±3.19°, p-value=0.009. Mean SS in case group was 38.38±3.03° and control was 36.56±3.43°, p-value=0.031. The mean PI of cases was 49.44±8.39° and control 46.19±9.01°, p-value=0.02. LL angle was higher in IDD at 46.34°, and was 45.36° in healthy individuals, without statistically significant difference. The mean lumbo-sacral angle in both study groups was similar. The mean Sacral Inclination Angle (SIA) was found to be 43.99° and 44.96° in the case and control group respectively without showing significant differences. A statistically significant difference was found only for the comparison of PT between different grades of IDD (p-value=0.039). Conclusion: Using Surgimap Spine Software, one can predict the individuals that possess a greater propensity of developing degeneration of disc and chronic low back pain in a more costeffective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Previous trials of yoga therapy for nonspecific low back pain (nsLBP) (without sciatica) showed beneficial effects. OBJECTIVE: To test effects of yoga therapy on pain and disability associated with lumbar disc extrusions and bulges. METHODS: Parallel-group, randomised, controlled trial. Sixty-one adults from rural population, aged 20-45, with nsLBP or sciatica, and disc extrusions or bulges. Randomised to yoga (n=30) and control (n=31). Yoga: 3-month yoga course of group classes and home practice, designed to ensure safety for disc extrusions. Control: normal medical care. OUTCOME MEASURES (3-4 months) Primary: Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ); worst pain in past two weeks. Secondary: Aberdeen Low Back Pain Scale; straight leg raise test; structural changes. RESULTS: Disc projections per case ranged from one bulge or one extrusion to three bulges plus two extrusions. Sixty-two percent had sciatica. Intention-to-treat analysis of the RMDQ data, adjusted for age, sex and baseline RMDQ scores, gave a Yoga Group score 3.29 points lower than Control Group (0.98, 5.61; p=0.006) at 3 months. No other significant differences in the endpoints occurred. No adverse effects of yoga were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Yoga therapy can be safe and beneficial for patients with nsLBP or sciatica, accompanied by disc extrusions and bulges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]