Low back pain

From greek.doctor
  • Low back pain is very common
  • LBP can generally take on one of two major forms
    • Lumbago (mechanical low back pain)
    • Sciatica (neurological low back pain)
  • LBP can occur in a healthy spine, often due to stretching or microscopic tears of muscles or ligaments
  • Lumbago
    • = mechanical low back pain
    • (Some sources, like this year’s lecture, reserve the term “lumbago” for idiopathic LBP)
    • Can have many causes
      • Mechanical disorders
      • Congenital malformations
      • Lumbar instability
      • Degenerative diseases
    • Can be acute or chronic
      • Lasts less than 1 month – acute
      • Lasts more than 6 months – chronic
    • Clinical features
      • Low back pain
      • Decreased lumbar lordosis
      • Antalgic gait
      • Paravertebral muscle spasm
      • Restricted lumbar movements
      • No neurological signs (radiation, paraesthesia, etc.)
    • Treatment
      • Analgesia
      • For acute lumbago – rest
      • For chronic lumbago – mobilization
      • Surgery is almost never indicated