Gait assessment in a female rat Sprague Dawley model of disc-associated low back pain.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Gait disturbances are common in human low back pain (LBP) patients, suggesting potential applicability to rodent LBP models. This study aims to assess the influence of disc-associated LBP on gait in female Sprague Dawley rats and explore the utility of the open-source Gait Analysis Instrumentation and Technology Optimized for Rodents (GAITOR) suite as a potential alternative tool for spontaneous pain assessment in a previously established LBP model.

Materials and methods

Disc degeneration was surgically induced using a one-level disc scrape injury method, and microcomputed tomography was used to assess disc volume loss. After disc injury, axial hypersensitivity was evaluated using the grip strength assay, and an open field test was used to detect spontaneous pain-lik

SUBMITTER: Lee FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11533987 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature