Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Sydney, Australia. Typical posture of LBP with sciatic list I. A. Back Pain - A common complaint. Radiographic and laboratory studies can help in diagnosis. Some important considerations in the evaluation of back pain are presented. Age - Children may be affected by congenital or, more commonly, development disorders, infection, or primary tumours.
Younger adults are more likely to suffer from disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or acute fractures.
In older adults, spinal stenosis, metastatic disease, and osteopenic compression fractures are more common. Don't ignore back pain in children. Radicular Signs and Symptoms - Often associated with disc herniation or spinal stenosis. Intraspinal pathology or other entities associated with cord or root impingement may be responsible. Herpes zoster is a rare cause of lumbar radiculopathy with pain preceding the skin eruption.