Roentgenographic evaluation of lumbar spine flexion-extension in asymptomatic individuals

• Published in: Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976) Pa. 1976), 1989-03, Vol.14 (3), p.327-331
• Main Authors: HAYES, M. A, HOWARD, T. C, GRUEL, C. R, KOPTA, J. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Lumbar Vertebrae - physiology; Male; Middle Aged; Motion; Radiography; Skeleton and joints; Vertebrates: osteoarticular system, musculoskeletal system
• ISSN: 0362-2436; 1528-1159
• DOI: 10.1097/00007632-198903000-00014

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.