Lumbar Spine Somatic Dysfunction Lecture Flashcards
Incidence of Lower Back Pain
- 85% of the General Population will have Lower Back Pain
- 2 to 5% of the general population reports LBP yearly
- Back pain occurs in 35% of Adolescent athletes
- Overuse back injuries are prone to recurrence
- 26% males/ 33% females
- 27% of back pain in Adults is due to Musculoskeletal Strains
General Consideration
- LBP is the #2 reason patients of to the doctor
- Majority of causes DO NOT REAUIRE Surgical Intervention
- Causes a Massive financial burden
a) Cost of Treatment
b) Expense of Lost work
c) Legal costs (Workmans comp, Disability, Person Injury) - Emotion burden as well
a) Increased Stress
b) Depression - $100 BILLION IN TOTAL COSTS/ YEAR!!!!!11
- 75% of total cost is attributed to Less than 5% of patients with LBP
- This means we spend to most money on a very small percentage of patients with LBP ($75 Billion on 5% of LBP patients)
- Majority of pain is due to MECHANICAL DYSFUNCTION
- Lumbar spine is Frequent site of:
a) Strain
b) Pain
c) Disability
Anatomy
- Vertebrae are built to support heavy loads in a fairly Neutral Plane
- Structure allows for fair amount of FLEXION and EXTENSION
- Less of Sidebending and Rotation due to SAGITTAL ORIENTATION of FACETS
Anatomic Variants
- SACRALIZATION of L5!!!!!!!!!!
- Lumbarisation of S1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Spondylolysis: Fracture in PARS INTERARTICULARIS!!!!
- Lumbar Herniated Disc!!!!
Etiologies
1) MECHANICAL
- Arthritis
- Spondylosis/ Spondylolysis/ Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Somatic Dysfunction
2) NON-MECHANICAL
a) VISCEROGENIC
- Ex: Renal Colic, Endometriosis
b) VASCULOGENIC
- Ex: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
3) INFECTION
- Osteomyelitis
- Diskitis
4) TUMORS
- Primary: MYELOMA
- Metastatic:
a) Breast
b) Prostate
c) Lung
d) Kidney
5) METABOLIC
- Osteoporosis
6) Rheumatologic
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Red Flags in Low Back Pain
- Major Trauma Mechanism
- Age > 50 or
Example of Mechanical Etiology: Spina Bifida
- Recall that the spinous process is formed from LAMINAE
- FAILURE of FUSION —> Spina Bifida (“Split Spine’)
- Neural Tube Defects: DECREASED incidence with FOLATE Supplementation
Spina Bifida 3 types
1) Spina Bifida Occulta
- Congenital
- Common L5-S1
- Asymptomatic
- May have patch of coarse her over site
* **NO SPINAL PROTRUSION
2) Meningocele
- Meninges FORCED OUT between Vertebral Spaces
3) Myelomeningocele
- MOST COMMON TYPE
- Unfused portion of the Spinal Column allows Spinal Cord to PROTRUDE through an OPENING!!!
Example of Mechanical Etiology: SPINAL STENOSIS
- The spinal canal contains the CONUS MEDULLARIS, FILUM TERMINALE, and CAUSE EQUINA
- Cord terminates at the level of L1-2
- Diameter can become COMPROMISED —> “Stenotic”
- The diameter also Normally DECREASES with Age
Causes of Compromise:
- Hypertrophy of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament
- Thickening of Ligamentum Flavum
- Osteoarthritis
- Exostoses
- Tumors
- Disc Rupture
Cauda Equina Syndrome
Multiple Etiologies:
- Infection/ Inflammation
- Herniated Disc
- Metastasis
- Spinal Stenosis
- **These all place pressure on the CAUDA EQUINA
Causes:
- Pain, numbness, or tingling in low back/ Lower extremity
- Progressive weakness and Paralysis of Lower Extremity
- Bladder and Bowel incontinence, Sexual Dysfunction
- This is often a SURGICAL EMERGENCY!!!!!
So, How do we figure out the Problem?
** A THOROUGH H&P!!!!!!!!
Especially the ROS!!!!!
Examination
- Observation
- Palpation
- Motion Testing
- Neuromuscular Exam: Strength and Sensation
- Vascular Assessment
Lumbar Exam
1) Range of Motion
- Patient seated/ Standing
2) Screen with Fingers
- Note skin changes, tenderness, etc
- TART
- Hip Drop Test for Lumbar SB
- hone in on these areas for further examination
a) Gross motion testing (Flexion, Extension, Rotation, Sidebend)
b) Single segment motion
Barrier Concept
1) Anatomic Barrier (Passive ROM)
2) Physiologic Barrier (Active ROM)
3) Pathologic Barrier (Loss of Motion)
- This is where the complaint lies
- This is where you will be working with your patients
Mechanics
Lumbar Spine
- Just like Thoracic Spine
- Follows TYPE I mechanics in NEUTRAL POSITION
- Follows TYPE II mechanics in NON-NEUTRAL Position
- This is the rule in Normal Mechanics and Dysfunction
- Lumbar SP and TPs are at the SAME LEVEL!!!!