Zbigniew Śliwiński, Kamila Kasperek-Konopnicka

Zbigniew Śliwiński, Kamila Kasperek-Konopnicka – An analysis of pain symptoms in patients with chronic spinal syndrome under treatment in health resorts. Fizjoterapia Polska 2003; 3(1); 38-47

Abstract
Background. Pain in the lower segment of the lumbar spine and the lumbo-sacral transition constitutes a major challenge for all those involved in the individual’s treatment: physicians, physiotherapists, psychologists, psychotherapists. The goal of the present study was to determine which structures are the most common source of pain symptoms in patients with chronic spinal syndrome treated in health resorts. Material and methods. We examined 52 patients complaining of pain in the lower lumbar spine, the lumbo-sacral transition, the hip joint, and the lower extremities. The research methods included patient history, analysis of existing patient documentation, x-ray, MRI, CT, measurement of reobasis and chronaxis for the anterior tibial muscle in the left and right leg (using a PHYSIOTER D-50), and manual examination. A medical rehabilitation program was developed on the basis of the research and the medical indications. Test results were recorded twice: before the beginning of treatment and after its completion. Results. Laseque’s sign occurred most often in patients with ischialgia and discopathy. Irritation of the pelvic ligaments was particularly often seen in patients with discopathy, degenerative changes in the spine, and ischialgia. Changes in the sensibility of the sciatic nerve were found in discopathy patients. Conclusions. The most frequently diagnosed disorder in the patients we examined was discopathy. Laseque’s sign occurring before therapy resolved in the majority of cases after health resort treatment. The results from Patric’s test point to improvement of hip and spine function, not only in patients with degenerative changes, but also in discopathy patients. The muscles from the sciatic-crural group, the calf muscles, and the femoral-lumbar muscles were most often of abnormal length in this group of patients. These parameters can produce false results in the Laseque test and the tension test for the sciatic nerve.

Key words:
pain back, Patric, Muscle, acomadation, Irritation by pressing, tension test SLR, Slump Test