title: Mechanical disorders of the lumbar spine.
abstract: The lumbar spine is an impressive mechanical system but it can fail from injury or abuse. This paper reviews four recognisable back pain syndromes, which result from mechanical failure, symptomatic disc protrusion, root entrapment syndrome, segmental instability and neurogenic claudication--their clinical presentation, and what is understood about their multifactoral aetiology.
authors.affiliation: Royal Infirmary, Doncaster, England.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Porter
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots