37 - Lumbar instability

Although lumbar instability is considered to be responsible for the majority of chronic or recurrent backaches, the word ‘instability’ is still poorly defined. A number of different definitions exist, but as yet there are no clear and validated clinical features by which instability might be diagnosed. It is also not clear how instability as such might set up pain and disability. It is generally accepted that instability does not cause trouble in itself, but predisposes to other conditions such as (recurrent) disc displacements, strain of the posterior ligaments and the zygapophyseal joints, and nerve root entrapment. Definitions