Does spinal morphology influence the occurrence of low back pain? A retrospective clinical, anthropometric, and radiological study

Objective. Insurance companies are showing considerable interest for measur ement devices claimed to be effective in evaluating risks associated with o ccupational or sporting activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate t he potential influence of spinal morphology on the risk of low back pain. M ethods. 1500 male construction work apprentices aged 16 to 23 years underwe nt spinal measurements at the Caen Teaching Hospital from 1991 to 1996. The 384 subjects with abnormal measurements or a history of spinal pain underw ent plain radiography and a second set of spinal measurements done by a dif ferent examiner using a different device. The following radiological parame ters were studied: incidence angle, junction couple, Ferguson's index, L1-L 5 lordosis angle and L1-S1 lordosis angle. Results. In the 152 retrospectiv ely studied subjects, no significant differences in static spinal parameter s were found between subjects with and without a history of low back pain. The type of lordosis was correlated with the incidence angle but not with t he junction couple. Conclusion In our population, spinal measurements were not correlated with a specific morphological pattern of the lumbar spine or pelvis, and neither was a history of low back pain correlated with a speci fic pattern of lumbar and pelvic balance.