INABILITY TO PROVE INSTABILITY - A CRITICAL-APPRAISAL OF CLINICAL-RADIOLOGICAL FLEXION-EXTENSION STUDIES IN LUMBAR-DISK DEGENERATION

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 53  (4) , 186-192
Abstract
In 2 groups of patients with low back pain radiological flexion-extension studies were made (1 in the standing position, the other in the lateral decubitus position) and the degree of mobility and location of instantaneous centers of motion determined between L2 and the sacrum. The study failed to demonstrate distinctly abnormal patterns of motion (instability). Such problems, as shown in the biochemical laboratory, are not reproduced in the clinical setting. Smaller abnormalities will remain undetected because of measurement errors of the method, making differentiation between normal and abnormal motion virtually impossible.

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