-- Andrew Maxwell has launched the Flexmax, an accessory device designed to improve the quality and consistency of lumbar flexion and extension X-ray imaging.
Flexmax was developed to address a practical challenge in lumbar spine imaging: patients may bend at the hips rather than flexing and extending through the lumbar region. That guarding and hip hinging can affect the resulting images and potentially make it more difficult to identify abnormal motion. Flexmax is designed for use in the X-ray room to help reduce those compensatory movements and produce “TRUE” flexion and extension images.
The launch reflects Maxwell’s focus on improved imaging and the importance of obtaining meaningful dynamic views when assessing spinal movement. 
“The decision to use conservative treatment or surgical intervention starts with Lumbar FlexEx images. The quality of the images IS the quality of the decision,” said Andrew Maxwell. “Flexmax was developed to help isolate the lumbar spine and reduce the variables that can make these examinations less consistent. The goal is to give clinicians a clearer representation of what is happening during movement.
”Reducing variability is one of the most important reasons for developing Flexmax,” Maxwell explains. “When clinicians are assessing instability, they need the images to reflect the movement they are trying to evaluate. Flexmax is intended to make that process more consistent and help produce a better-quality examination.”
Flexmax is an accessory device rather than a replacement for conventional X-ray equipment or clinical judgment. Its purpose is to assist with patient positioning during lumbar flexion and extension examinations, with the objective of producing images that better capture lumbar movement while limiting unintended contribution from the hips.
That distinction is particularly relevant when evaluating translation and angulation associated with lumbar instability. According to Maxwell, Flexmax is intended to increase the detection of angulation and translation instability in the lumbar spine and reduce false-negative examinations by lowering variability between studies. He adds that Flexmax could potentially double the detection of lumbar spine angulation and translation instability.
The underlying concept addresses an important issue in dynamic spinal imaging: a technically adequate X-ray depends not only on the imaging equipment but also on how consistently the required movement is produced. If a patient guards against movement, or movement occurs predominantly through the hips, the resulting study may not accurately represent lumbar motion. A positioning accessory that helps control those variables can therefore become an additional tool for imaging teams seeking greater examination consistency.
The launch comes as interest in dynamic and motion-based imaging continues to emphasize the value of examining structures under different conditions rather than relying exclusively on static images.
With Flexmax, Maxwell has designed a purpose-built accessory aimed at limitations in lumbar flexion and extension imaging: unwanted movement outside the lumbar spine. By helping reduce hip hinging and guarding, the device is intended to support more consistent examinations and improve the ability to visualize lumbar motion.
Contact Info:
Name: Andrew Maxwell
Email: Send Email
Organization: Wenzel Spine
Website: https://wenzelspine.com
Release ID: 89205465
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