Low Back Pain Flashcards
what part of dic tears in a disk tear
outer part of disc (annulus) that occurs with aging
Jelly-like nucleus pushes against outer ring and puts pressure on nerves due to wear and tear
Dx?
disc herniation
Heel walk checks ___
Toe walk checks ____
heel L5
toe S1
what does a positive straight leg raise most likely indicate?
disc herniation
+ if pain moving from butt down to leg
disorder where vertebrae have too much mobility – slide on top of one another and compress spinal nerves
surgical tx?
Degenerative spondylolisthesis
spinal fusion
Space around spinal cords narrow and puts pressure on cord
Bone spurs grow to provide more support
dx? and most common cause
spinal stenosis
arthritis
imaging stude of choice for suspected disc herniation
MRI
CC with Degenerative spondylolisthesis
“pain and stiffness”
in spinal stenosis what symtpom reflects critical pressure on nerves
Weakened leg “foot drop”
pt presents w/ back “pain and stiffness” radiating from butt down to lower leg. he finds relief when leaning forward
dx?
spinal stenosis
what condition would require a laminectomy
spinal stenosis - removal of bone spurs
pt presents to clinic w/ abck pain. upon exam you notice he has a “round-back appearance” or a “bent over appearance”.
He notes the pain is bad with regular activities such as coughing or sneezing, twisting or reaching.
He reports pain is better when he lies down.
Dx?
surgical tx?
vertebral compression fx
kyphoplasty - baloon tamp into affected vertebrae first then cement
vertebroplasty - no baloon just cement into narrowed vertebrae
what condition could you dx w Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
osteoporisis
in order for a pt w/ spinal stenosis to be a canidate for interspinous process devices they MUST:
have relief of butt and leg pain when leaning forward to be a candidate
also called “slipped disc”
disc herniation
lordosis vs kyphosis
lordosis - INWARD curvature at cervical and lumbar regions
kyphosis - OUTWARD curvature of thoracic spine “hump”
what is the cause for the inward curvature seen in hyperlordosis
Trunk flexors and hip extensors too weak to balance trunk ext and hip flex
results in lumbar spine overextended
types of kyphosis (3)
- Postural kyphosis à repeated poor posture seen in young F
- Scheuermann’s Kyphosis à vertebrae become wedged shape assoc. w/ scoliosis (kyphoscoliosis)
- Congenital kyphosis à vertebrae deformed during fetal development
Spine twisted / side-ways curvature “S” or “C” shape
scoliosis
scoliosis could be due to Dec in _______ causing a dec shock absorption resulting in a mis-shapen spine.
glycosaminoglycans____
what conditions are assoc w/ scoliosis
Neuromuscular disorers
cerebral paslsy
muscular dystrophy
what is a complication of SEVERE kyphosis/ scoliosis
Decreased space in thoracic cavity -> compresses heart -> and prevent lungs from fully expanding
- Shortness of breath
- Small thoracic cavity
- Inability to exercise
how can we determine the extent of a spinal deformity
measure cobb angle
angle between upper most and lower most vertebrae involved
what conditions are associated w/ lordosis and kyphosis
Deformative diseases:
- Ehlers-Danlos
- Marfans
- Osteoporosis
Injury:
- Compression Fx
- spondylolisthesis
- Misaligned vertebrae
Obesity
lordosis or kyphosis or scoliosis
kyphosis