Spinal Disorders in Growth and Aging

The spine is a deceptively complex and finely balanced system, disorders of which tend to affect the young and elderly in particular. To review the state of the art in understanding of the mechanism of the spine, along with the latest advances in diagnosis and treatment of spinal problems, the International Symposium on Spine and Spinal Disorders in Growth and Aging was held in Niigata, Japan, on November 22 - 23, 1992. The subjects discussed covered wide areas of research and clinical experience, from the measurement of bone mineral density to the biomechanics of the fracture mechanism and the redistribution of stress in the osteoporotic spine. Clinical topics ranged from the spinal manifestation of systemic and local diseases, through trauma, to metabolic and degenerative diseases of the spine itself. Special attention was paid to spinal deformity, ossification and the degenerative spine, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and the appendicular manifestation of spinal disorders. This volume will be useful for all those wishing to understand the most up-to- date techniques for analyzing the healthy or diseased spine and for diagnosing and treating spinal disorders.