Lumbar Spondylosis
Age-related degeneration leads to disc bulging and bony spurs, narrowing spinal canal (spinal stenosis); usually confined to one or two lumbar levels, most commonly L4 to L5.
Most patients older than 40; many older than 60. Gradual progression. Back pain often not dominant. Leg pain may be bilateral or unilateral.
Characteristic symptom: unilateral or bilateral discomfort in buttock, thigh, or leg on walking, relieved by rest (“spinal claudication”). Also relieved by flexing forward at waist, or by lying down or sitting. In more common vascular claudication, pain relieved if patient stops walking without flexing
spine. Spinal problem also suggested if discomfort brought on by prolonged standing without walking.Related posts:
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