Lumbar spine lordosis is a pathological deformity of the spine with a bend (bulge) forward. Unlike normal physiological lordosis in the cervical and lumbar spine in healthy people, excessive curvature of the spine is called hyperlordosis.
Another type of lordosis is hypolordosis, the essence of which is the straightening of the lumbar spine, as a result of which the curvature of the spine becomes less than normal. Hypolordosis is often the result of osteochondrosis of the spine.
Symptoms of Lumbar spine lordosis
- Tilting of the head and the shoulders forward.
- Lowering of the chest.
- Protruding abdomen.
- Divergence of legs in knees.
In addition to changes in posture, lordosis is manifested by pain and limited mobility in the back, such symptoms are associated with strain on the back muscles and spine.
The danger of this disease is that lordosis of the spine (both lumbar lordosis and cervical lordosis) has a negative effect:
- On the work of the heart.
- Respiratory organs.
- Gastrointestinal tract.
- Provokes deterioration of metabolic processes in the body.
- Contributes to increased fatigue and the development of chronic fatigue.
Lumbar lordosis and cervical lordosis
Depending on the location of lordosis, there are lumbar lordosis or lumbar spine lordosis and cervical lordosis. Lumbar spine lordosis can be secondary or primary. Secondary lumbar lordosis occurs due to hip dislocation and dysfunction of the hip joint, which may be congenital or acquired.
Primary lumbar lordosis occurs due to spinal muscle spasms, overweight or spinal pathology (eg, vertebral displacement).
Thus, the main reasons that lead to the diagnosis of lumbar spine lordosis – dysfunction of the hip joints, overweight (with the deposition of adipose tissue in the abdomen), spasm of the back muscles and spinal pathology.
Also, one of the reasons for the contracture of the hip joint with difficult extension and, as a consequence – lumbar spine lordosis is degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joint, or coxarthrosis.
On the other hand, straightening of the lumbar spine and straightening of the cervical spine are often a consequence of running osteochondrosis of the spine.
At the diagnosis of lordosis treatment depends on the cause that led to the disease:
If the cause of lumbar spine lordosis is overweight, the treatment is based on therapy aimed primarily at correcting body weight and reducing body fat.
In the case of rectification of physiological cervical lordosis or lumbar lordosis due to osteochondrosis (if rectified lumbar lordosis), treatment of spinal lordosis is part of a comprehensive therapy to eliminate degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs.
If lumbar lordosis is due to coxarthrosis, treatment includes therapeutic agents to improve (restore) the function of the hip joints.
Because lordosis leads to increased fatigue, treatment of lordosis of the spine includes procedures to improve the balance of the nervous system and increase vitality.
In addition, the treatment of lordosis of the spine, as a rule, includes a set of measures to eliminate concomitant disorders in the body, both from the musculoskeletal system (spine, joints) and from the functional systems of the body – gastrointestinal tract, bronchopulmonary system, cardiovascular system.
The complex nature of the treatment of spinal lordosis is aimed primarily at affecting the main problem that caused the curvature of the spine (osteochondrosis, coxarthrosis, overweight, etc.) and reduce the symptoms of discomfort – pain and pain associated with muscle spasms.
Kinesiotherapy
Kinesiotherapy in the treatment of spinal lordosis can reduce or eliminate spinal hypertonia, relieve pain, improve spinal mobility, reduce the risk of complications that can lead to cervical and lumbar lordosis of the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory and digestive systems.
Comprehensive treatment of lordosis in the rehabilitation center “Your Health” in most cases can significantly reduce the symptoms and degree of curvature of the spine, improve quality of life, improve well-being and efficiency.
Watch this video about Lumbar spine lordosis
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Let’s talk about the straightening of the lumbar spine in details
What is it, what are the accompanying symptoms and treatment?
Smoothing of lumbar lordosis in some people does not cause any clinical symptoms, while in others it is combined with severe low back pain. Different clinics of the disease are due to the anatomical features of the body structure, the condition of the muscular corset and the degree of deformation of the lumbar vertebrae.
Translated from the Greek “lordosis” – “bent, stooped.” In medicine, it means the physiological curvature of the spine in the cervical or lumbar region with a convexity facing forward. It is necessary to reduce the damping load felt by the spine when walking.
In children after birth, the straightening of the lumbar spine, and physiological kyphosis and lordosis is not observed. When the baby begins to walk, he develops a lumbar curvature. Physiological curvature in the cervical region occurs when a child can hold his head. As a result, up to a year the baby has 2 lordosis (lumbar and cervical) and 2 kyphosis (thoracic and sacral).
Classification of straightening of the Lumbar spine lordosis:
Straightening of the lumbar spine lordosis occurs not only in young children, but also in diseases. Depending on the cause of the formation of curvature, the following types of pathology are distinguished:
Primary:
Occurs in pathological changes of the spine (inflammation, traumatic deformities, malformations);
Secondary
Develops as a compensatory reaction in response to other pathologies. Often occurs after hip dislocation and osteoarthritis of the hip;
Physiological
Observed in children of the first year of life;
Paralytic
Associated with weakness of the muscular corset of the back. Appears against the background of diseases affecting the muscular system (myositis, myopathy).
It is more correct to call straightening of the lumbar spine “hypolordosis” as at it the angle of physiological curvature of a backbone is reduced.
Most often, doctors meet in practice with increased lordosis – hyperlordosis, which occurs with every second disease of the spine.
Lumbar spine lordosis in adults is flattened most often after traumatic exposure to the type of “whiplash” injury. A sharp acceleration, and then instantaneous braking leads to ruptures of the musculoskeletal system and cracks in the vertebrae (car accident).
Symptoms of straightening of the lumbar spine:
Determining the straightening of lordosis at home is quite simple. Stand with your back to the wall. Press her buttocks, shoulder girdle and nape. If the gap between the lumbar region and the wall does not penetrate the palm – you have hypolordosis.
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This pathological changes the appearance of a person:
- The abdomen protrudes forward
- The shoulder girdle and head are displaced in the anterior direction
- The chest is flattened.
When walking, a person with this pathology can not stretch the knee joints. The volume of their movements decreases sharply, so there is pain. Due to the fact that the organs of the abdominal cavity are lowered, there are disorders of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
The above changes are not so much a concern for a person as osteochondrosis with all its specific symptoms (low back pain, limited mobility).
Straightening of physiological lordosis in most cases is accompanied by the appearance of low back pain of varying severity: from aching to acute. Following the smoothness of the lumbar concavity there is a violation of the tone of the back muscles, which leads to a shift in the center of gravity of the torso. As a result, the main load when walking falls on the joints of the lower extremities and pelvis.
Pronounced smoothness leads to serious complications:
- There is a chronic compression of the spinal cord;
- There is demyelination of nerve fibers;
- Cervical myelopathy (dysfunction of nerve roots) is formed.
What to do if the lordosis is smoothed?
First of all it is necessary to find out the reason of pathology. In the presence of diseases of the spine, it is necessary to begin their treatment. At the same time a set of tonic procedures is assigned:
- Swimming
- Massage
- Spinal traction
- Wearing orthopedic belts and bandages.
The most effective treatment for lumbar straightening is therapeutic exercises. At a hypolordosis it is necessary to strengthen muscles of an abdominal press, is an antagonist of a muscular corset of a waist.
Improper shape of the back disrupts the distribution of load on the human body. When there is a flattening of the physiological curves of the spine, excessive load falls on the lower extremities and pelvis.
Osteoarthritis occurs in the joints (damage to the articular surfaces with limited mobility). At the same time the physiological angle of inclination of the pelvis is shifted.
To prevent such changes in the early detection of pathology, anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, nais, nimesulide, Diclofenac) are prescribed. To strengthen the cartilaginous tissue of the spine and joints, it is advisable to use chondroprotectors (alflutop, structures).
Note:
This article provides only some medical advice, but you should go to a doctor or physiotherapist so that he can diagnose you and make a protocol for your treatment. You can contact our doctors for free
In conclusion
It should be noted that doctors often overestimate the smoothness of the curvature of the lumbar concavity when analyzing X-rays. Yes, very often in the imprisonment of a radiologist you can read: “lumbar lordosis spine is smoothed.”
This condition in most cases is not pathological, but only serves as a compensatory response to postural disorders. In this situation, the lumbar lordosis is flattened for proper weight redistribution. Its straightening means primary pathology of the lumbar spine. The symptom will disappear on its own after recovery of posture.
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