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Annotated abstract

Radiofrequency ablation for patients with lumbar spinal arthritis provides quantifiable improvement in gait velocity: a prospective study

rapm · 2025-09-04 · canonical JSON source

2 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Technically precise radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the medial branch nerves , a minimally invasive percutaneous procedure of lumbar facets in patients experiencing lumbar facet-mediated pain, is a well-evidenced and effective treatment for painful lumbar spinal arthritis.1 Since studies have reported gait alterations, particularly slower speeds, in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP),2 the primary aim of this study is to characterize quantifiable gait velocity parameters via the Zeno Walkway (commonly used for gait analysis in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s),3 following RFA. These gait parameters could serve as objective metrics for assessing functional outcomes associated with RFA. Our secondary aim is to correlate these findings with validated patient outcome measures: Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Pain Disability Index (PDI).4