Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: Spine
Abstract number: 25309
PLANE X RAYS IN LOW BACK PAIN
Gaurav SHARMA, Shobha S. ARORA, Manish CHADHA, Amit BHARADWAJ
University College of medical sciences, Delhi (INDIA)
Plane x rays are the simplest investigation in the management of back pain of
mechanical origin in patients without neurological signs. A new Obtuse lumbosacral
angle was measured on lateral view in 40 patients who had asymptomatic back but
were investigated for other problems and were used as controls in 100 patients with
chronic back pain of more than 3 months duration. The position of distal most
transverse process on AP view was also noted. Specific physiotherapy regimes were
chosen for different angle values. At three months the pain relief was noted on an
average from 8 to 2 On VAS scale of 10. The angle returned to the normal value after
an average 10 months of physiotherapy which was dominated by specific stretching
exercises for the low back. Eighty two patients had complete pain relief.
Radiological restoration of the lumbosacral angulation was confirmed at 6/9/12
months depending upon the pain relief and was taken as the end point of treatment.
We conclude that restoration of mechanical alignment of the low back as seen by
plane x rays is the key point in the management of chronic low back pain and this is
the only investigation needed in the management of non specific back pain. The
mechanics of low back pain is explained and needs to be understood for individual
patient.
425