title: Lumbar instability: an evolving and challenging concept.
abstract: Identification and management of chronic lumbar spine instability is a clinical challenge for manual physical therapists. Chronic lumbar instability is presented as a term that can encompass two types of lumbar instability: mechanical (radiographic) and functional (clinical) instability (FLI). The components of mechanical and FLI are presented relative to the development of a physical therapy diagnosis and management. The purpose of this paper is to review the historical framework of chronic lumbar spine instability from a physical therapy perspective and to summarize current research relative to clinical diagnosis in physical therapy.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia-HEALTHSOUTH, USA.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Beazell
authors.forename: Melise
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Grindstaff