Lumbar mobility in asymptomatic individuals.
A radiological study of angulatory and translational lumbar mobility and of lumbar scoliosis was performed on 56 persons aged 35-54 years who had no history of back pain. The measurements of mobility were based on extension-flexion views; the assessment of scoliosis was done using radiographs taken in the standing position. The results indicated that the largest range of angulatory motion occurred in the L5-S1 segment (mean, 17.3 degrees for women and 16.4 degrees for men). Five-millimeter translational motion was so common in the L3-L4 and L4-L5 segments, as was 4-mm in the L5-S1 segments, that these values cannot be considered with certainty as pathological. Ten subjects (18%) showed scoliosis of > or = 10 degrees. Although based on a small series, these results are a step toward a more objective and careful interpretation of extension-flexion and functional radiographs of low-back pain patients.
Tallroth
K
K
Department of Radiology, Orthopaedic Hospital of the Invalid Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
Alaranta
H
H
Soukka
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009790:Occupations; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*