Glenohumeral Superior Translation and Subacromial Contract Pressure Are Both Improved With Superior Capsular Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Biomechanical Investigations.

PURPOSE: To review cadaveric studies evaluating the biomechanical outcomes of superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) with different graft types for the treatment of irreparable rotator cuff (RTC) tears. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were queried in January 2022 to conduct this meta-analysis using the following key words: "superior capsule reconstruction," "superior capsular reconstruction," and "biomechanics." Articles were included if they reported glenohumeral superior translation or subacromial contact pressure following SCR in cadaveric RTC tears. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses criteria. Number of shoulders, graft types, and biomechanical outcomes were recorded and analyzed with forest plots. RESULTS: Twelve studies (95 shoulders) were included in the statistical analysis. There was a significant reduction in glenohumeral superior translation following SCR compared with RTC tear across 10 studies (79 shoulders) with standardized mean difference (SMD) -2.48 mm; confidence interval (CI) -3.28 mm, -1.69 mm. The SMD between fascia lata graft and RTC tear was -3.84 mm (CI -4.82 mm, -2.86 mm) and between dermal allograft and RTC tear was -2.05 mm (CI -3.10 mm, -1.00 mm). There was a significant reduction in subacromial contact pressure following SCR compared with RTC tear across 5 studies (55 shoulders) with SMD -3.49 MPa (CI -4.54 MPa, -2.44 MPa). The SMD between fascia lata graft and RTC tear was -3.21 MPa (CI -5.08 MPa, -1.34 MPa) and between dermal allograft and RTC tear was -3.89 MPa (CI -5.91 MPa, -1.87 MPa). CONCLUSIONS: Independent of graft type, biomechanical studies suggest that SCR improves glenohumeral superior translation and subacromial contact pressure in comparison with RTC tear at time zero. There was no definitive evidence identified in this study to suggest a biomechanically superior SCR graft option. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Investigating the biomechanical outcomes of several graft types for superior capsular reconstruction will help surgeons better understand the efficacies of different graft types for use in superior capsule reconstruction surgery.

Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis for the Treatment of Hip Acetabular Chondral Lesions Demonstrates Improved Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To systematically investigate the outcomes of patients who underwent autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis (AMIC) during hip arthroscopy for the treatment of acetabular chondral lesions due to femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. METHODS: PubMed and Cochrane were queried in June 2022 to conduct this systematic review using the following keywords: "femoroacetabular impingement," "arthroscopy," "microfracture," and "autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis." Articles were included if they reported on patient-reported outcomes of AMIC during hip arthroscopy to treat chondral lesions of the hip. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Each study was queried for demographics, lesion classification, surgical treatment, patient-reported outcome scores, revision arthroscopy, and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). A qualitative subanalysis was performed to compare patients undergoing AMIC to patients undergoing microfracture alone if included studies also assessed results of microfracture alone. RESULTS: Four studies met inclusion criteria and assessed 209 hips undergoing AMIC. The included studies consisted of 99 male and 110 female patients. Mean postoperative follow-up ranged from 1 to 8 years, and mean patient age ranged from 34.3 to 45 years. Three of the 4 included studies reported the modified Harris Hip Score, and all 3 of these studies reported statistically significant improvement in the modified Harris Hip Score at final follow-up (P < .001) with mean preoperative values ranging from 44.5 to 62.8 and mean postoperative values ranging from 78.8 to 95.8. Two of the 4 studies compared patients treated with AMIC to microfracture alone. In these 2 studies, the AMIC groups reported 0 patients converting to THA while the microfracture-alone groups reported a highly variable rate of conversion to THA (2%-32.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent hip arthroscopy and AMIC for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and acetabular chondral lesions demonstrated improved patient-reported outcomes and low rates of secondary surgeries at short-term follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and IV studies.

Patients Undergoing Revision Hip Arthroscopy With Labral Reconstruction or Augmentation Demonstrate Favorable Patient Reported Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To review current literature evaluating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and survivorship in patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation. METHODS: A systematic review was performed with the following key words: (revision) AND (hip OR femoroacetabular impingement) AND (arthroscopy OR arthroscopic) AND (reconstruction OR augmentation OR irreparable). PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus were queried in October 2022 using the criteria established in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Studies were included if they involved patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation and reported preoperative and postoperative PROs at minimum 2-year follow-up. Only original research articles were included. Survivorship was defined as a nonconversion to total hip arthroplasty. Outcomes present in 3 or more studies underwent further statistical analysis with forest plots. Heterogeneity of studies was evaluated using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: Five studies were reviewed, including 359 revision hip arthroscopies (335 with complete follow-up) with a follow-up that ranged from 2.2 to 5.2 years. Four studies reported on outcomes after revision labral reconstruction and 1 study reported on labral augmentation. Two out of 5 included studies evaluated for statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative outcomes. Three out of 5 studies reported a rate of at least 70% for achieving minimal clinically important difference in at least 1 PRO. At minimum 2-year follow-up, survivorship ranged from 93.5% to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients that underwent revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation demonstrated improvement in PROs with mixed rates of achieving clinical benefit and rates of survivorship at minimum 2-year follow-up ranging from 93.5% to 100%. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of level III to IV studies.

Osteochondral Allograft or Autograft Transplantation of the Femoral Head Leads to Improvement in Outcomes but Variable Survivorship: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To review patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and survivorship in patients undergoing osteochondral autograft or allograft transplantation (OAT) of the femoral head. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Center for Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus databases were searched in November 2022 with an updated search extending to December 2023 using criteria from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the following keywords: (hip OR femoral head) AND (mosaicplasty OR osteochondral allograft OR osteochondral autograft OR osteochondral lesion). Articles were included if they evaluated postoperative PROs in patients who underwent OAT of the femoral head and had a study size of 5 or more hips (n ≥ 5). Survivorship was defined as freedom from conversion to total hip arthroplasty. For PROs evaluated in 3 studies or more, forest plots were created and I2 was calculated. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included in this review, with a total of 156 hips and a mean follow-up time ranging between 16.8 and 222 months. In total, 104 (66.7%) hips were male while 52 (33.3%) were female. Age of patients ranged from 17.0 to 35.4 years, while body mass index ranged from 23.3 to 28.1. Eight studies reported on osteochondral autograft transplantation and 4 studies on osteochondral allograft transplantation. Three studies reported significant improvement in at least 1 PRO. Survivorship ranged from 61.5% to 96% at minimum 2-year follow-up and from 57.1% to 91% at minimum 5-year follow-up. At a follow-up of less than 5 years, osteochondral allograft transplantation studies showed 70% to 87.5% survivorship, while autograft varied from 61.54% to 96%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with osteochondral lesions of the femoral head who underwent osteochondral autograft or allograft transplantation demonstrated improved PROs but variable survivorship rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies.

Athletes Report Favorable Outcomes at 5-Year Minimum Follow-Up After Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate minimum 5-year outcomes and survivorship after primary hip arthroscopy in athletes. METHODS: A systematic review of current literature was performed with the following key words: "hip arthroscopy," "long-term," "outcomes," "ten-year," "survivorship," "10-year," "5-year," "five-year," "midterm," "athlete," "sport," and "femoroacetabular impingement" in PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus in April 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Study and demographic variables such as title, author, publication date, study design, demographic, number of hips, follow-up time, study period, indications for hip arthroscopy, patient-reported outcome scores, and rates of secondary surgeries and conversion to total hip arthroplasty. Radiographic, intraoperative surgical treatment, and clinical benefit was documented as well. RESULTS: Ten studies that captured data on 691 hips were included in this study. Eight studies reported mean and standard deviation for the modified Harris Hip Score. Significant improvements were reported in all studies with postoperative scores ranging from 83.3 to 94.4 (standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-1.91, P < .00001). Eight studies reported significant improvement in Hip Outcome Score - Sports Specific Scale with postoperative scores ranging from 59.2 to 94.6 (SMD 1.66; 95% CI 1.33-1.98, P < .00001). Seven studies reported significant improvement in Nonarthritic Hip Score with postoperative scores ranging from 79.6 to 95.3 (SMD 1.41; 95% CI 1.16-1.65, P < .00001). Seven studies also reported significant improvement in VAS with postoperative scores ranging from 0.7 to 3.1 (SMD -1.57; 95% CI -1.88, -1.26, P < .00001). Nine of 10 studies reported achieving at least 1 psychometric threshold at a rate of least 75%. Rates of secondary arthroscopy and conversion to total hip arthroplasty varied from 0% to 15.2% and 0% to 33.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Athletes who underwent primary hip arthroscopy demonstrated favorable outcomes and high rates of clinical benefit at 5-year follow-up. In addition, they demonstrated high rates of survivorship and achieving psychometric thresholds. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and IV studies.

Short Symptom Duration Is Associated With Superior Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of duration of preoperative hip pain symptoms on outcomes in patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted with the following key words: "hip arthroscopy," "outcomes," "femoroacetabular impingement," "duration," "symptoms," "time," "delay," "earlier," and "timing" was performed in PubMed and Cochrane in May 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines were used for this review. When available, article information including the author, study type, study period, and follow-up, demographics, preoperative duration of symptoms, surgical outcome tools, and secondary surgeries were recorded. RESULTS: Six studies including 3,298 hips were included in this systematic review. Five studies had a minimum of 2 years' follow-up, and 1 study had a minimum of 5 years' follow-up. Femoroacetabular impingement (including subtypes cam and pincer impingement) was a surgical indication in all 6 studies and the most common indication for surgery. All 6 studies reported patient-reported outcome scores. All studies conducted statistical analyses comparing the duration of symptoms' effect on outcomes and found superior outcomes in patients with shorter duration of symptoms before hip arthroscopy. In 3 studies, modified Harris Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score - Activities of Daily Living, Hip Outcome Score - Sports-Specific Subscale, and visual analog scale for satisfaction ranged from 79.1-82.6, 86.3-88.4, 75-75.5. and 75.3-82.5, respectively, in cohorts with <2-year duration of symptoms, compared with 72-77.7, 79.6-84, 65.0-66.7, and 69.7-75.3 in >2-year cohort. Similarly, in one study, the <2-year duration group was reported to have a conversion to total hip arthroplasty rate of 0.6% and an overall secondary surgery rate of 0.9%, whereas the >2-year duration group had a conversion to total hip arthroplasty rate of 6.4% and an overall secondary surgery rate of 10.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hip pain symptoms of less than 2 years before arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome have better outcomes than those patients who had a longer duration of symptoms. However, significant improvements can still be expected regardless of time between onset of symptoms and surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.

Over 50% of Studies Report Low-Back Pain Is Associated With Worse Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy When Compared With a Control Group: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To review outcomes of patients with low-back pathology undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus databases were queried in June 2022 to conduct this systematic review using the following terms: ("hip" OR "femoroacetabular impingement") AND ("arthroscopy" OR "arthroscopic") AND ("spine" OR "lumbar" OR "sacral" OR "hip-spine" OR "back") AND ("outcomes"). Articles were included if they reported on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and/or clinical benefit of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with concomitant low-back pathology. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Case reports, opinion articles, review articles, and technique articles were excluded from this study. Forest plots were created to analyze preoperative and postoperative outcomes among patients with low-back pathology. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included in the review. There were 750 hips with low-back pathology and FAI (hip-spine syndrome) and 1,800 hips with only FAI (no hip-spine syndrome). All 14 studies reported PROs. In 4 studies in the group with hip-spine syndrome and 8 studies in the group with FAI without low-back pathology, the respective cohorts were reported to achieve the minimal clinically important difference in at least 1 PRO at a rate of 80%. Eight studies reported that patients with low-back pathology were associated with inferior outcomes or clinical benefit compared with patients without low-back pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy with concomitant low-back pathology can expect favorable outcomes, but outcomes are superior in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI alone compared with FAI with concomitant low-back pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level II to Level IV studies.

A Readability Study of Carpal Tunnel Release in 2023.

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA) recommend a sixth-grade reading level for patient-directed content. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the readability of online information sources related to carpal tunnel surgery using established readability indices. METHODS: Web searches for "carpal tunnel release" and "carpal tunnel decompression surgery" queries were performed using Google, and the first 20 websites were identified per query. WebFX online software tools were utilized to determine readability. Indices included Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease, Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Coleman Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, Gunning Fog Score, and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index. Health-specific clickthrough rate (CTR) data were used in order to select the first 20 search engine results page from each query. RESULTS: "Carpal tunnel release" had a mean readability of 8.46, and "carpal tunnel decompression surgery" had a mean readability of 8.70. The range of mean readability scores among the indices used for both search queries was 6.17 to 14.0. The total mean readability for carpal tunnel surgery information was found to be 8.58. This corresponds to approximately a ninth-grade reading level in the United States. CONCLUSION: The average readability of carpal tunnel surgery online content is three grade levels above the recommended sixth-grade level for patient-directed materials. This discrepancy indicates that existing online materials related to carpal tunnel surgery are more difficult to understand than the standards set by NIH and AMA.

Patients Undergoing Revision Hip Arthroscopy With Labral Reconstruction or Labral Repair and Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Background: Compromise of the acetabular labrum can lead to pain and loss of critical intra-articular fluid pressure. Revision labral preservation poses unique challenges due to adhesions and compromised tissue quality. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of the study was to evaluate patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures (PROMs) in patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with either labral reconstruction or labral repair after primary hip arthroscopy for labral tear. It was hypothesized that both procedures would lead to improved PROs. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted with the following keywords: (revision) AND (hip OR femoroacetabular impingement) AND (arthroscop*) AND (reconstruction OR repair) in PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus in August 2023 using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria, yielding 2002 initial records. Only studies comparing PROMs between revision labral reconstruction or revision labral repair after primary hip arthroscopy for labral tear were included. Background article information was recorded, including article title, author, study design, level of evidence, patient demographics, radiographic information, intraoperative data, PROMs, psychometric thresholds, and secondary surgeries. Secondary surgery in our study was defined as any open or arthroscopic hip surgery secondary to the initial revision surgery. Forest plots were created for pre- and postoperative outcomes present in ≥3 studies. Heterogeneity was calculated using I 2 values. Results: Four studies, including 215 revision labral reconstructions and 115 revision labral repairs of the hips, were included in this systematic review. All studies were level 3 evidence, and study periods ranged between 2009 and 2019. Mean follow-up for the reconstruction and repair groups ranged from 26.3 to 36.6 months and 30.7 to 56.4 months, respectively. The mean age for the reconstruction and repair groups varied between 27 to 34.6 years and 27.5 to 30 years, respectively. Mean postoperative modified Harris Hip Scores for the reconstruction and repair cohorts ranged from 72.0 to 81.2 and 70.8 to 84.1, respectively (I 2 = 0%). Mean visual analog scale for pain scores for the reconstruction and repair cohorts ranged from 3 to 3.5 and 2.3 to 3.9 (I 2 = 33%). Overall secondary surgery rates ranged from 10.0% to 26.7% in the labral reconstruction cohort, compared with 10.0% to 50.0% in the labral repair cohort. One study reported superior outcomes in the revision labral repair group, with 3 studies finding no statistically significant difference in outcomes between the groups. Conclusion: Our systematic review showed that patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction demonstrated significant improvement in postoperative outcome measures. Postoperative outcomes were similar to those of a benchmark control group of patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy and labral repair. Labral reconstruction in the revision setting appears to be an effective treatment in clinically indicated patients.

Mid- to Long-Term Outcomes in Patients After Hip Arthroscopy With Labral Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Background: There is a paucity of aggregate data documenting mid- to long-term outcomes of patients after hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction. Purpose: To report mid- to long-term outcomes in patients after undergoing either primary or revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction for the treatment of irreparable labral tears. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review of the PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases in May 2022 was conducted with the following keywords: "hip arthroscopy,""labral reconstruction,""irreparable,""labrum,""reconstruction,""five-year,""midterm,""5 year,""long-term,""10 year," ten-year," and "femoroacetabular impingement" using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Midterm was defined as mean 5-year follow-up, and long-term was defined as mean 10-year or longer follow-up. For each included article, the demographic, radiographic, intraoperative, and surgical variables, as well as patient-reported outcomes (PROs), psychometric thresholds, and secondary surgeries were recorded. Forest plots were created for PROs that were reported in ≥3 studies; heterogeneity was assessed using I2 values. Results: Out of 463 initial articles, 5 studies including 178 hips with primary and 41 hips with revision surgeries were included. One study had an average 5-year follow-up, three studies had a minimum 5-year follow-up and one study had a minimum 10-year follow-up. The most common indications for hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction were irreparable labral tears. The most common PRO was the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), which was reported in all 5 studies. The mean preoperative mHHS ranged from 58.9 to 66, and the mean postoperative mHHS at minimum 5-year follow-up ranged from 80.2 to 89. The preoperative and postoperative mHHSs for the single long-term follow-up study were 60 and 82, respectively. All 5 studies demonstrated significant improvements in reported PROs. All 5 studies reported secondary surgery rates, with 1 study reporting rates at both 5- and 10-year follow-up. Conversion to total hip arthroplasty ranged from 0% to 27%, while overall secondary surgery rates ranged from 0% to 36%. Conclusion: Findings demonstrated that patients undergoing primary and revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction experienced favorable outcomes and high rates of clinical benefit and survivorship at mid- to long-term follow-up.

Heart Break or Headache: A Case Report of Sumatriptan-Induced Takotsubo Syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS) describes a transient type of dilated cardiomyopathy that mimics acute coronary syndrome (ACS) on initial presentation. Classic TS presents with marked dilation and ballooning of the left ventricular apex with hyperdynamic basal segments. The most frequent etiology is from emotional and stressful triggers; recently, evidence suggests neurologic and psychiatric involvement. There are increasing reports of TS occurring secondary to migraine abortives. We describe a unique case of TS in a woman after taking sumatriptan to abort her headache.

Levothyroxine Prescription Error: A Case Report.

Levothyroxine (LT) is the synthetic form of thyroxine (T4), a thyroid hormone analog used to treat hypothyroidism. LT overdose rarely results in severely poor outcomes. General guidelines for treating exogenous thyrotoxicosis depend on the severity of symptoms. There is no standardized protocol; however, drug discontinuation, beta-blockers (specifically propranolol), and cholestyramine effectively manage overdose when needed, with most cases resolving independently without medical intervention.  Here, we present the case of a 26-year-old female with a history of supraventricular tachycardia, anxiety, depression, and Hashimoto thyroiditis who was accidentally overprescribed LT (300 mcg for one and a half months) that resulted in symptoms of lethargy, tremors, body temperature dysregulation, orthostatic hypotension, and diarrhea. This case, with limited evidence, suggests that excessive LT exacerbated the patient's underlying psychiatric symptoms, encouraging suicidal ideation.

Ollier Disease: A Case Report and Review of Treatment Options.

Ollier disease is a rare skeletal dysplasia characterized by the formation of multiple enchondromas (enchondromatosis), typically in the long bones of the extremities. These tumors are benign but can become complicated by the development of pathologic fractures, limb deformity, and malignant transformation to chondrosarcoma. Ollier disease has a highly variable presentation and is associated with a range of presenting findings; however, the most common presentation is a pathologic fracture. Surgical options include curettage and grafting of the enchondromas and, when displaced, fracture reduction and fixation. Of note, these fractures will heal without surgery. Regardless, all patients must be routinely monitored with yearly radiographs in order to detect malignant transformation as early as possible.  In this report, we describe the case of an 11-year-old female who presented to her physician with pain and swelling of her right ring and small fingers after playing in a swimming pool with no obvious mechanism of trauma. A routine, plain radiographic evaluation of her hand revealed the presence of multiple enchondromatosis. We hope to use this case to highlight the surgical management options for young patients with Ollier disease and discuss circumstances in which surgical management may not be indicated.

Lower Back Pain Imaging: A Readability Analysis.

PURPOSE: The internet provides access to a myriad of educational health-related resources which are an invaluable source of information for patients. Lower back pain is a common complaint that is discussed extensively online. In this article, we aim to determine if the most commonly accessed articles about lower back pain imaging use language that can be understood by most patients. According to the American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institute of Health (NIH), this corresponds to a sixth-grade reading level. METHODS: Online searches were conducted from the most commonly used search engine, Google, to assess the present state of readability on radiograph imaging for LBP. Then the top 20 populated URL links from each search were utilized based on "health & fitness" search trends and click-through rates (CTRs). The readability of various websites was evaluated with WebFX online software that analyzed the unique websites' text when put into reader view on Firefox web browser version 116.0.3 (64-bit). Evaluation occurred via five common readability indices: the Automated Readability Index (ARI), the Coleman Liau Index (CLI), the SMOG index, the Gunning Fog Score Index (GFSI), and the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level Index (FKGLI). In addition, the Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease Index (FKREI) was also used but was excluded from the calculation due to its measuring scale outside of US grade levels. The number of samples was analyzed via health and fitness-specific CTR from an open-access database from July 2022 to July 2023. This was used to calculate the number of persons clicking and visiting positional URLs (first URL to the 20th URL) from each unique keyword search and the rational criteria for selecting the first 20 websites for each query. RESULTS: Online material that included LBP imaging information was calculated to have an overall readability score of 10.745 out of the 23 websites obtained from unique searches. The range was a mean readability score of 8 to 14. Notably, 17 websites were excluded from a total of 40 websites due to duplication of the same data (URLs that resulted from both unique searches) and accessibility requiring payment (specifically, an UpToDate link). A readability score of 10.745 refers to an 11th-grade reading level. That is to say, the most commonly visited sites on Google that contain information about lower back pain imaging are, on average, five grade levels higher than the sixth-grade reading level recommended by the AMA and the NIH. CONCLUSIONS: Most internet content regarding lower back pain imaging is written at a reading level that is above the recommended limit defined by the AMA and NIH. To improve education about lower back pain imaging and the patient-physician relationship, we recommend guiding patients to online material that contains a reading level at the sixth-grade level as suggested by the AMA and NIH.