Classification, treatment and outcomes of a patient with lumbar extension syndrome

Abstract

The purpose of the current report is to describe the classification, treatment, and outcomes of a patient with lumbar extension syndrome. The patient was a 40-year-old female with an 18-month history of mechanical low back pain (LBP). The patient reported a history of daily, intermittent pain (mean intensity of 9/10) that limited her ability to sit, stand, walk, and sleep, as well as perform work-related activities. Symptom-provoking movement and alignment impairments associated with the direction of lumbar extension were identified and modification of these impairments consistently resulted in a decrease in pain. Treatment was provided in 3 sessions over a 2-month period. Priority of treatment was to train the patient to restrict lumbar extension-related alignments and movements during symptom-provoking functional activities. Exercises to address the extension-related impairments also were prescribed. The primary change in outcome was a decrease in the mean intensity (2 months: 2/10; 6 months: 1/10) and frequency of pain (2 months: decreased pain with standing and walking; 6 months: additional decrease with sitting, standing and walking). She also reported a decreased duration and number of LBP episodes. Classification directed treatment resulted in improvement in short and long term impairment and functional-level outcomes.

Notes

*In circumstances in which the responses for proximal and distal symptoms are different, prioritization is given to the behavior of the most distal symptoms. There were no instances in which this occurred during the testing of this subject (Van Dillen et al, 2001).