Roentgenographic evaluation of lumbar spine flexion-extension in asymptomatic individuals.
An experimental clinical study of angulatory and translational lumbar spine intervertebral motion was performed using flexion-extension radiographs obtained in the lateral plane. These "bending" films were obtained from 59 asymptomatic individuals undergoing routine pre-employment examination. Results indicate that there is 7 to 14 degrees of angulatory motion present in the lumbar spine but a large range of values exist so that norms of angulatory motion cannot be more precisely defined. There are 2 to 3 mm of translational motion present in the lumbar spine at each intervertebral level. Twenty percent of this study's asymptomatic subjects had 4 mm or more translational motion at the L4-5 interspace and at least 10% had 3 mm or greater motion at all levels except L5-S1. These results challenge conclusions based on earlier studies and call into question the use of lumbar flexion-extension bending films as a primary determinant of lumbar segmental stability.
Hayes
M A
MA
Orthopaedic Specialists of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Howard
T C
TC
Gruel
C R
CR
Kopta
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009038:Motion; D011859:Radiography