Lumbar Intro Symptom Modulation Flashcards
How to organize your LBP exam
- Symptom modulation: directional preference, manual, peripheralize
- Movement control: stability (SIJ), local mobility, global stability
- Pain neuroscience education: nociceptive, neuropathic, nociplastic
What are some serious pathologies of LBP
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- AAA
- Femoral Head & Neck Fractures
- Cervical Myelopathy
- Central Sensitization
What are some possible pathologies of LBP
- Back strain (muscular)
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar radiculopathy
- Hip OA
- SIJ
- Spondylolisthesis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
How to determine prognosis using the STart Back Tool Scooring System
- Overall score: ≥3 = medium/high risk to develop chronic LBP
- Psychological score: ≤2 = medium risk; ≥3 = high risk; Refer to PT if medium/high risk
Guidelines from the American College of Physicians (ACP) for LBP
- Recommendation 1 (Acute LBP): non-pharmacological treatment oof heat, STM, TDN, & spinal manipulation
- Recommendation 2 (Chronic LBP): non-pharmacological treatment
- Recommendation 3 (Chronic LBP): If above all fails consider pharmacology but opioids as last resort
Acute LBP non-pharmacologic treatment effect sizes
- Heat: moderate effect
- Massage: small to moderate effect
- Acupuncture: small effect
- Spinal manipulation: small effect
Chronic LBP non-pharmacologic treatment effect sizes
- Exercise: small effect
- Motor control exercise: moderate effect
- Tai Chi/Mindfulness/Yoga: small to moderate effect
- Progressive relaxation: moderate effect
- Acupuncture: moderate effect
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: moderate effect
- Spinal manipulation: small effect
What are the 4 types oof screens
- Serious: based on red flag signs & symptoms
- Yellow flags: conditions that will delay recovery (Biopsychosocial model)
- Neuro screen
- Movement screen
What pathologies make up non-mechanical LBP (1% of patients)
- Neoplasia: spine tenderness & weight loss
- Inflammatory arthritis: morning stiffness & improves with exercise
- Infection: spine tenderness & constitutional symptoms
What pathologies make up non-spinal/visceral disease LBP (2% of patients)
- Pelvic organs (prostatitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis): lower abdominal symptoms common
- Renal organs (nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis): usually involves abdominal sx & abnormal urinalysis
- Aortic aneurysm: epigastric pain & pulsatile abdominal mass
- Gastrointestinal system (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer): epigastric pain and nausea & vomiting
- Shingles: unilateral, dermatomal pain, & distinctive rash
What pathologies make up mechanical LBP (97% of patients)
- Lumbar strain/sprain: diffuse pain in lumbar muscles, some radiation to buttocks
- Degenerative disk or facet process: localized lumbar pain, similar findings to lumbar strain
- Herniated disk: leg pain often worse than back pain & pain radiating below knee
- Osteoporotic compression fracture: spine tenderness & often Hx of trauma
- Spinal stenosis: pain better when spine is flexed or when seated, aggravated by walking downhill more than uphill, & Sx often bilateral
- Spondylolisthesis: pain with activity, usually better with rest, usually detected with imaging, & controversial as cause of significant pain
What are your normal expectations for a LQ lumbar movement screen
- Touches toes
- Reversal of lumbar lordosis
- Hip to spine flexion ratios about 50% each
- Posterior hip sway
What are your pathologic motion expectations for a LQ lumbar movement screen
- Non-reversal of lumbar lordosis
- Hinge points
- Judder (a little hitch to one side) & deviations
- Gower’s sign: walking hands up thighs to stand from bent over position
What does SINSS stand for
- Severity
- Irritability
- Nature
- Stage
- Stability
What are your goals for your initial subjective
-1) Get a 24 hr picture of the pt’s pain presentation & what makes is better/worse
- 2) Is the LBP mechanical or non-mechanical
- 3) Does the pain appear to be mechanical/does it respond to load/unloading
- 4) Is there a directional preference
- 5) Is there a psychological component
What outcome measures can be used for LBP
- Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
- Ronald Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)
What are the 4 treatment based classifications for LBP
- Manipulation
- Stabilization
- Specific exercise AKA direction preference
- Traction
What factors favor and are against manipulation
- Favor: hypo mobility with spring testing, low FABQ scores (FABQ-W <19), & hip medial (IR) rotation ROM >35º
- Against: Sx below the knee, increasing episode frequency, peripheralization with motion testing, & no pain with spring testing
What factors favor and are against stabilization
- Favor: hyper mobility with spring testing, increasing episode frequency, & ≥3 prior episodes
- Against: discrepancy in SLR ROM (>10º) and low FABQ score (FABQ-PA <9)
What factors favor and are against specific exercise AKA directional preference
- Favor: directional preference for extension or flexion, centralization with motion testing, & peripheralization in direction opposite to centralization
- Against: LBP only (no distal Sx) and status quo with all movements
What factors favor and are against traction
- Favor: peripheralization of Sx with no ability to centralize with movement
- Against: LBP only (no distal Sx) and no sign of nerve root compression
What are the 5 lumbar manipulation criteria
- Duration of Sx <16 days
- At least one hip >35º IR ROM
- Lumbar hypo-mobility
- No symptoms distal to knee
- FABQ-W <19
What direction is the STM for superficial and deep
- Superficial: contact is parallel
- Deep: contact is perpendicular
What are the variations of STM techniques
- Sustained pressure with/without 3D lock
- Pressure with short/lengthen
- Pressure with oscillations
- Functional mobilization