title: The association of spinal osteoarthritis with lumbar lordosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Careful review of published evidence has led to the postulate that the degree of lumbar lordosis may possibly influence the development and progression of spinal osteoarthritis, just as misalignment does in other joints. Spinal degeneration can ensue from the asymmetrical distribution of loads. The resultant lesions lead to a domino- like breakdown of the normal morphology, degenerative instability and deviation from the correct configuration. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a relationship exists between the sagittal alignment of the lumbar spine, as it is expressed by lordosis, and the presence of radiographic osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  112 female subjects, aged 40-72 years, were examined in the Outpatients Department of the Orthopedics' Clinic, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete. Lumbar radiographs were examined on two separate occasions, independently, by two of the authors for the presence of osteoarthritis. Lordosis was measured from the top of L1 to the bottom of L5 as well as from the top of L1 to the top of S1. Furthermore, the angle between the bottom of L5 to the top of S1 was also measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  49 women were diagnosed with radiographic osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine, while 63 women had no evidence of osteoarthritis and served as controls. The two groups were matched for age and body build, as it is expressed by BMI. No statistically significant differences were found in the lordotic angles between the two groups
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no difference in lordosis between those affected with lumbar spine osteoarthritis and those who are disease free. It appears that osteoarthritis is not associated with the degree of lumbar lordosis.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. michalpap@gmail.com
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadokostakis
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kampanis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sapkas
authors.forename: Stamatios A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008141:Lordosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D055013:Osteoarthritis, Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012447:Sacrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology