Common Low Back injuries

Question 1

Cause of muscle strain

Answer 1

Acute injury or cumulative stress

Question 2

Symptoms of muslce strain

Answer 2

Diffuse, achy pain. Stiff and tight muscles, especially with certain movements. Rest relieves the pain

Question 3

Signs of muscle strain

Answer 3

Restricted ROM and point tenderness. Passive movements are not usually painful until at full stretch.

Question 4

Causes of ligament sprain

Answer 4

Acute injury or cumulative stress

Question 5

Symptoms of ligament sprain

Answer 5

Localized pain which is sharp in certain movements.

Question 6

Signs of ligament sprain

Answer 6

Active and passive movements are painful, but resisted in not.

Question 7

Grade I sprain

Answer 7

Stretching or mild tear of the ligaments. Includes little or no joint instability.

Question 8

Grade II sprain

Answer 8

Incomplete tear with some looseness in the joint.

Question 9

Grade III sprain

Answer 9

Completely torn or ruptured ligament. Can be mistaken for a broken bone because the joint is unusable.

Question 10

Causes of facet joint dysfunction

Answer 10

Poor posture, muscle imbalance or hypertonicity which leads to fatigue, subluxation, fixation or an entrapped meniscoid.

Question 11

Symptoms of facet joint dysfunction

Answer 11

May be painless, but may also radiate to the groin, gluteals and thighs.

Question 12

Signs of facet dysfunction

Answer 12

Decreased extension, side bending and rotation. Potentially palpable in the form of displaced bony anaotomy.

Question 13

Cause of Si joint dysfunction

Answer 13

Trauma or repetitive twisting.

Question 14

Risk factors for SI joint dysfunction

Answer 14

Leg length discrepancy, muscle imbalance sustained muscle tightness.

Question 15

Signs of Si joint dysfunction

Answer 15

Pelvis misalignment, subluxation, innominate rotation, flares, sacral dysfunction and positive Patrick’s test.

Question 16

Causes of piriformis syndrome

Answer 16

Hypertonic piriformis, often due to excessive sitting, SI dysfunction or pelvic obliquety.

Question 16

SI joint dysfunction symptoms

Answer 16

Pain in the gluteals, groin and posterior thigh. Can also radiate below the knee.

Question 17

Signs of piriformis syndrome

Answer 17

Decreased coxal ROM. Increased pain during medial rotation.

Question 18

Symptoms of piriformis syndrome

Answer 18

Pain when climbing inclines or when seated. Pain in the midline of the buttock which radiates to the posterior thighs.

Question 19

Cause of coccydemia

Answer 19

Fall on the gluteals, childbirth or articular soft tissue changes.

Question 20

Symptoms of coccydemia

Answer 20

Coccyx pain when seated.

Question 21

Signs of coccydemia

Answer 21

Indication of pain, thickening of the coccygeal ligament.

Question 22

Causes of arthritis

Answer 22

Previous injury, sustained muscle tension, poor posture, muscular imbalances, obesity.

Question 23

Symptoms of arthritis

Answer 23

Dull, aching pain which is worse in the morning.

Question 24

Signs of arthritis

Answer 24

Chronic loss of lumbar extension and damage to the facets.

Question 25

Results of pelvis-crossed syndrome

Answer 25

Anterior rotation of the pelvis and hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine along with minimal hip flexion.

Question 26

Pelvis-Crossed syndrome

Answer 26

An imbalance between shortened and tight hip flexors and lumbar erector spinae and weakened gluteals and abdominals.

Question 27

Muscles which are tight in pelvis-crossed syndrome

Answer 27

Piriformis, hamstrings, erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, rectus femoris, TFL and iliopsoas.

Question 28

Muscles which are weak in pelvis-crossed syndrome

Answer 28

All 3 glutes, rectus abdominis, vastus medialis and lateralis.

Question 29

Torticollis

Answer 29

Scoliosis of the cervical spine.

Question 30

Cause of non-structural scoliosis

Answer 30

Postural problems, muscle imbalances, nerve root irritation, inflammation, contracture or compensation for leg length discrepencies.

Question 31

Signs and symptoms of non-structural scoliosis

Answer 31

Back pain, decreased flexibility. Side bending remains symmetrical and the curve disappears during forward flexion.

Question 32

Structural scoliosis causes

Answer 32

Bony deformity which may be congenital or acquired from excessive muscle weakness (quadriplagia)

Question 33

Signs and symptoms of structural scoliosis

Answer 33

Decreased flexibility, a curve that remains even during forward flexion.

Question 34

Schennermann's disease

Answer 34

A type of structural kyphosis with anterior wedging of vertebrae. Affects up to 10% of adolescents and is typically found in the T10-L2 region.

Question 35

Cause of Schennermann's disease

Answer 35

An abnormality in the growth rate during growth spurts.

Question 36

Signs and symptoms of Schennermann's disease

Answer 36

Presents at age 10-15. Kyphosis, back pain, loss of flexion, muscle spasms and cramps.

Question 37

Treatment for Schennermann's disease

Answer 37

Back brace, physiotherapy, surgery.

Question 38

Spondylosis

Answer 38

Degenerative disease of unknown etiology which affects the intervertebral joints. Results in bone spurs and ankylosis of adjacent vertebrae.

Question 39

Ankylosis

Answer 39

Stiffening and dcreased mobility of a joint that has been obliterated by fibrous tissue.

Question 40

Spondylolisthesis

Answer 40

A forward displacement of one vertebrae over another.

Question 41

Spondylolysis

Answer 41

A defect in the arch of the vertebrae.

Question 42

Retrolisthesis

Answer 42

Backward displacement of one vertebrae over another.

Question 43

Lumbarizations

Answer 43

S1 is mobile and resembles a lumbar vertebrae.

Question 44

Sacralization

Answer 44

L5 is attached to the sacrum

Question 45

Butterfly vertebrae

Answer 45

Vertebral anomaly that results from the failure of fusion between the lateral halves of the vertebral body. Causes by persistent notochordal tissue between the halves.

Question 46

Congenital hip dysplasia signs and symptoms

Answer 46

Legs turn outward or appear to have different lengths, limited ROM, folds on legs are buttocks which are asymetrical.

Question 47

Pubic symphysis disruption

Answer 47

Rare condition in which the pubic symphysis separates completely during childbirth. Causes severe pain and requires surgery.

Question 48

Sacral dysplasia or caudal regression syndrome

Answer 48

Disorder that impairs the development of the lower half of the body.