NIH R01 · 2025
PROJECT SUMMARY Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the world's leading debilitating condition and the most common reason for opioid prescription in the US. While axial cLBP is commonly considered non-specific and multifactorial, it is often suspected a dysfunction of the spinal stabilization system that includes the intervertebral disc (IVD) and adjacent paraspinal muscles (PSMs). Axial cLBP is notoriously challenging to treat because of uncertainty about patient-specific causal mechanisms preventing effective matching to treatments. IVD degeneration is easily appreciated with clinical imaging and often studied. Less is known about the role of PSM degeneration, including atrophy and fat…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.