Lumbar curvature of the spine. Lumbar lordosis - how to be and what to do? Causes of the development of lumbar lordosis

The essence of the definition of "lumbar lordosis" is that this is not a disease at all, as many patients imagine. By itself, lordosis is a bend, and a natural one, which the spine should have due to its natural design. We can talk about a violation of the norm when the lordosis goes beyond the boundaries determined by the angle of the bend.

A person normally has two lordosis. One of them is neck. The second is the lumbar. It is located, respectively, below, in the lumbar region, it represents the deflection of the vertebral arch inward. Pathological lordosis is not such a rare phenomenon that occurs either in a congenital way, or acquired as a result of lifestyle, overload, and disease.

If the lower back bends excessively, bringing lordosis beyond the norm, this causes pain and leads to various diseases spine.

By the way. Very often, lumbar lordosis begins in women around the age of thirty, during pregnancy. When they bear a child, the posture changes, the center of gravity shifts, and in order to lighten the weight of the growing belly, the vertebral deflection increases.

Species differences

There is a certain set of parameters that gives the characteristics of lumbar lordosis. According to these parameters, the disease is divided into types.

Table. Division into types.

Separation	View 1	View 2
Cause	Primary - in which a bend that goes beyond the norm is caused by the growth of any formation (of any quality). It can also be a consequence of the pathology of the vertebrae received from birth.	Secondary - is caused directly by the mechanical influences that the spine has undergone.
Appearance time	Congenital - found early childhood, but the anomaly is usually already present at birth, or appears during childbirth.	Acquired - development begins under the influence external factors such as injuries, diseases of the spine or tumor-like formations.
By type of deviation	Hyperlordosis - the deflection has too much angle.	Hypolordosis - the deflection is less than normal or smoothed out (absent at all).

Causes

Since a pathological phenomenon can be defined as congenital or acquired, the causes of occurrence are numerous and varied. It is worth dividing them into two large groups. The first includes the causes of congenital lordosis, the second - acquired.

Congenital pathology - causes:

one of the parents suffered from the disease;
during the gestation of the fetus in the womb, the mother violated the diet, resulting in a deficiency of certain elements;
the woman (mother) had injuries during pregnancy;
The child was injured during childbirth.

Acquired pathology - causes:

during pregnancy, due to the deepening of the arch of the lower back to compensate increased load, lordosis becomes pathological, but after childbirth returns to normal;
in patients with complicated flat feet, the vertebral deflection deepens;
hyperlordosis gives osteochondrosis and its varieties, as well as Schmorl's hernia;
because of mechanical damage vertebral structures lordosis may increase;
pathology is formed due to severe stretching or multiple muscle tears along the spine;
the deflection may increase after any inflammatory process in the spine;
also pathology is given by complications of sciatica;
not the last cause of pathological lordosis in modern man is a sedentary lifestyle and an almost constantly sitting position;
the disease can be diagnosed in those who play heavy sports or experience other overloads that spasm the spinal muscles;
the deflection deepens with gross metabolic disorders;
alcohol and nicotine abuse can also lead to an increase in lordosis.

Athletic belt

Symptoms of the disease

With a difference in the types of pathology, it is natural that the symptoms also have a different character. They depend on many factors - the causes of the disease, the patient's lifestyle, the degree of anomaly. Again, pathological lordosis can be either hyper, when the lower back is overly arched, or hypo, when it is overly aligned.

By the way. While the anomaly is insignificant, at this stage the manifestations are minimal, and the patient may not even know that the pathological process has begun. Discomfort, pain and complications will come later.

The first symptom that occurs as the bending angle increases can be called pain syndrome. In the deflection, it is scattered and occurs when the body is bent, for example, bending over. At the same time, the stomach rushes forward, and the buttocks move back, which is why the posture gradually deteriorates.
When smoothing the deflection, the back is leveled. This also gives pain, but specifically in the lower back itself. The body becomes inflexible, as if "wooden".
In addition to back pain, sensations can radiate to the gluteal region.
At a certain stage, numbness of the legs and loss of sensitivity occurs.
Difficulty walking. At first it hurts to walk fast, then the sensations appear at any pace of movement and they themselves motor functions difficult.
The activity of the organs located in the small pelvis is disrupted.
There are failures and disturbances in the digestive system.
In men, potency may decrease or disappear.
Women experience increased pain during menstruation.

Diagnostic procedure

At first glance, it seems that knowing the definition of pathological lordosis, it is easy to recognize it on your own. But to understand for yourself whether there is an anomaly or this is the norm, it is possible only with hyperlordosis, and even then in its deep stage.

By the way. When the lower back is visually excessively concave, pain makes itself felt, posture changes and other symptoms are present, the patient can determine that he has

But if the deflection in the lower back is smoothed out, and this happens gradually, very often the onset and even development of the pathology goes unnoticed for the patient.

There are several methods of preliminary self-diagnosis that are used at home in order to understand if there is an anomaly and whether it is time to go to the doctor. One of them is to stand against the wall, press your back, back of the head, heels, shoulder blades, pelvis against it. Then check if the hand passes in the gap remaining from the wall at the level of the waist. If so, the bend is probably pathological, and you need to see a doctor.

Important! The distance between the spine in the lower back and the plane of the wall should be, but small, about half the thickness of the arm. If it is not present at all or it is less, this is an occasion for referring to and diagnosing hypolordosis.

The doctor (this may be a therapist or traumatologist) at the initial appointment conducts tactile probing, visual inspection, questioning the patient for complaints and noticed changes. It is important to describe in detail the manifestations of the pathology, as accurately as possible - this will help to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe an adequate course of treatment.

Diagnostic methods may be as follows.

If you want to know in more detail, as well as consider when magnetic resonance imaging is indicated, you can read an article about this on our portal.

Treatment

To cure pathological lordosis, a diverse differentiated approach is needed. Proper Treatment affects the anomaly in a complex, from all sides. Only this will give a full therapeutic effect and avoid disability or difficult surgical intervention.

Treatment for lumbar lordosis the following specialists(in addition to the surgeon and orthopedist, depending on the type of disease):

vertebrologist - if the pathology is accompanied by osteochondrosis;
neuropathologist - if the nerve endings are damaged;
gastroenterologist - if the cause of lordosis is in violations of the digestive system;
oncologist - if there are tumors or metastases.

The most common variant of lordosis, which is diagnosed in the maximum percentage of patients who applied with this problem, is lordosis complicated by osteochondrosis (or arising as a complication of it).

In this case, treatment includes:

drug therapy;
physiotherapy;
massage;
therapeutic gymnastics.

Medical therapy

The doctor prescribes drugs for the treatment of pathological lordosis, based on the examination and diagnosis. The duration of the course and dosage, as well as the names of specific drugs, may vary, but groups are usually used according to the scheme.

Table. Groups medical preparations and their effect.

Group	Effect
	Able to accelerate the processes of regeneration of cartilage tissue. Slow down the rate of destruction in the disk structure. Significantly increase the effectiveness of therapeutic treatment.
	Relieve pain, remove puffiness, stop the inflammatory process.
	Necessary to relieve muscle spasm and improve blood circulation in the affected area.
	They relieve pain and return the patient to a normal state without pain.
	They are used for severe and prolonged pain experienced by the patient, to prevent and relieve depressive conditions.
	Complexes are taken to make up for the lack of necessary elements and boost immunity.

Important! All medications, not excluding vitamins, must be prescribed by a doctor, since their spontaneous use will lead to irreparable complications.

Physiotherapeutic effect

Physiotherapy devices

Treatment with various physiotherapeutic methods is mandatory. They are used to strengthen muscles, relieve pain, reduce tumors, speed up the process of treatment and recovery.

The list of methods includes massage, exercises, and physiotherapy. The main thing is to correctly combine and set the frequency of procedures, which will contribute to a speedy recovery.

Methods of physiotherapy treatment:

electrophoresis using anabolics;
acupuncture for acupressure;
installation of leeches to activate blood circulation;
electrical stimulation of nerve endings;

underwater stretching of the spine;
massage;
physiotherapy.

Massage procedures must be carried out by a specialist. With lumbar lordosis, the area of influence extends to the buttocks and the entire lumbosacral zone.

Important! In no case should the spine be massaged, since pressure on it can increase pain and pinch nerves. Movements and impact are soft and smooth, without sharp pressure.

Therapeutic exercises are also performed as prescribed by the doctor, it is better if the first classes are held in the exercise therapy group.

Of the exercises for the correction of hyperlordosis, the following are used.

Lying supine, the back is leveled, pressed against the floor surface, the stomach is drawn in. The curvature of the lower back decreases, the muscles are unclenched, the load on the affected area is weakened.
Standing with legs wider than shoulders, bends are carried out in such a way that the back is rounded, without pressure exerted on the lower back.
Again, lying down, legs are pulled up to the head in order to round the lower back.
The same thing - pulling up the legs with a rounding of the lower back - can be done on the horizontal bar.
Without abduction of the lower back, with a straightened back, smooth squats are made.

The set of exercises may be different, the main thing is that it includes stretching exercises and relaxing muscles.

Advice. Before gymnastics, it is necessary to warm up and not to make sudden movements during the exercise.

Prices for orthopedic sports shoes

Surgical treatment

There are cases of pathological lordosis, which are mostly congenital, in which surgery is recommended. Of course, everything is carefully weighed beforehand, because any operation on the spine can result in disability or inflammation caused by infection. Therefore, the surgeon takes up the case only in the case when there is no way to correct the lordosis conservatively.

Important! If the pathology is started and not treated as necessary, the patient can reach kidney failure, get infertility, impaired erectile function, paralysis of the legs.

Preventive measures

Can lumbar lordosis be prevented? If it is not congenital - quite. The best prevention It is considered a mobile lifestyle, health care, compliance with the rules of nutrition, physical education.

In the mornings, exercises are done, moreover, regularly, and not from case to case. Going to the gym or fitness club is also welcome, you just need to monitor the loads and follow the technique of working on shells.

Helps prevent adherence to the regimen, healthy eating, good rest and sleep (for which you need to purchase a hard mattress and an orthopedic pillow).

If the work is sedentary, be sure to control your posture. In between - hang on the horizontal bar or otherwise warm up.

Video - Lordosis of the lumbar. posture correction

Scoliosis - clinics in Moscow

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The human spine, when viewed from the front, should be straight, the identified lateral curvatures will be a deviation from the norm, but in the anterior-posterior direction, that is, when viewed from the side, 4 natural bends can be seen. These curves of the spinal column in the cervical and lumbar regions (lordosis), thoracic and sacrum (kyphosis) are designed to compensate for the pressure exerted on the spine during vertical loads and protect it from injury. Let us dwell in more detail on lordosis in the lumbar spine.

Lordosis is the curvature of the spinal column with a bulge directed forward, and with a bulge backward. Such bends are:

physiological, i.e. natural,
pathological - deviating from the norm, recognized as a disease (pathology) - curvature of the spine.

It all depends on the amount of bend.

Natural lordosis is formed in the cervical and lumbar spine during the first year of a person's life, when he begins to sit, learns to stand and walk.

The normal angle of curvature of the spine in the lumbar region is 150-170 degrees.

Pathological curvature of the spine forward can form at any age due to various reasons(injury, illness, during pregnancy, etc.) and is accompanied by pain, changes in posture and disturbances in work internal organs. There are changes in the spine itself: the load on the vertebrae becomes uneven, the joints suffer, the mobility of the spine decreases, and conditions are created for the occurrence of hernias.

The earlier the pathology appears and the longer it is left without attention, the more pronounced will be its signs and the more serious the consequences.

So, with the appearance of pathological lordosis in childhood or adolescence, the rib cage, as a result of which the internal organs are compressed, there is a violation of their functions.

What do diagnoses mean?

A healthy spine in the cervical and lumbar region has curves (lordosis) of a certain degree. For deviations from normal values we can talk about pathological lordosis, which can be of two types.

Lordosis in the lower back is smoothed (straightened)

If the bend in the lumbar spine is smoothed (or straightened), then this pathology is called "hypolordosis". If there is insufficient curvature of the spine in the lower back, axial loads will not be softened sufficiently.

A healthy spinal column in such cases, due to the bend in the lumbar region, is compressed like a spring and reduces pressure several times. If this does not happen, the vertical load on the intervertebral discs increases significantly, which leads to their deformation, displacement, and the development of pain in the lower back.

The basis for the diagnosis of flattened lordosis in the lower back is usually where the doctor can see a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs, convergence of the anterior parts of the lumbar vertebrae and distance of the processes.

As a rule, hypolordosis occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity. When a person is sitting, the curves of the spine are smoothed out. With a long stay in a sitting position (overstrain) and gradually straighten the natural curve of the spine, spoil the posture. The bending angle of the spinal column with hypolordosis is more than 170 degrees.

flat back;
fatigue in sitting and standing positions;
pain in the lumbosacral region;
altered gait.

Increased lordosis in the lumbar region

The opposite situation, when the lumbar deflection of the spine is too pronounced, is called "hyperlordosis". The bending angle with this diagnosis is approximately 145-150 degrees.

On x-rays lumbar of the spine, one can see that the anterior surfaces of the vertebrae diverge in a fan-like manner, and the spinous processes are practically connected to each other.

Hyperlordosis can be congenital, which is usually associated with hereditary predisposition and disorders prenatal development vertebrae before the baby is born. Also, this diagnosis can be made already to an adult - then we are talking about acquired hyperlordosis.

Overweight, smoking, alcohol abuse, endocrine diseases increase the risk of developing hyperlordosis.

External signs of hyperlordosis:

protruding buttocks and backward deviation of the pelvis;
protruding belly;
a large "arch" under the lower back in the supine position.

TO subjective symptoms the presence of increased lordosis in the lumbar region include constant strong tension in the lower back and the appearance of pain when lying on the stomach.

Causes of pathology

Hyperlordosis and hypolordosis have a number of unpleasant consequences for the body, including: displacement of internal organs, acceleration of destruction of cartilage tissue of joints and bones. Therefore, it is important to know the factors that can contribute to the emergence and development of these pathologies.

Congenital pathologies of the curvature of the spine are associated with heredity and injuries received during childbirth.

Acquired lordosis usually develops by the age of 30, which is associated with physical inactivity, muscle weakness and ligamentous apparatus, sitting for a long time at first during school, others educational institutions, and then at work in the absence of proper physical activity and care for their health.

possible causes

weak back muscles;
pathological or congenital hip dislocation, immobility hip joint;
osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia and others chronic diseases spine;
spinal column injuries;
malignant neoplasms in the spine itself or nearby organs;
tuberculosis;
pregnancy.

Hyperlordosis manifests itself in women during pregnancy as the fetus grows. A growing belly increases the natural curvature of the spinal column, and the back muscles can no longer hold the spine in its usual position. After childbirth, with the normalization of weight, the back is gradually restored, and the angle of the bend in the lower back returns to its normal value.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis can be made by a surgeon or traumatologist. Preliminary diagnosis is carried out on the basis of an examination and medical history, an assessment of the range of motion and muscle strength. In addition to this, a neurological status is assessed.

An X-ray can give the most accurate picture of the condition of the spine. IN difficult cases when it comes to having somatic diseases or neurological symptoms, other types of studies are used, for example:

If you suspect the presence of inflammatory processes, tumors are used laboratory methods research.

Treatment of lumbar lordosis

Often such a diagnosis is not noticeable, does not cause inconvenience and pain, so patients delay treatment. But if the degree of deviation from the normal value of the angle is too great, treatment should be started immediately. Indeed, with destructive changes in one area of the spine, the load is redistributed to others, which means that pathological condition in the lower back threatens the appearance of problems in the cervical or thoracic regions soon.

Treatment will depend on the origin of the disease and the degree of curvature.

If the cause of hyperlordosis is an infection, then you first need to cure the underlying disease, remove the inflammation, and then its consequence in the form of a curvature of the spine.

If the curvature of the spinal column has changed due to obesity, then weight reduction measures are taken first, including a special diet and training programs.

In any case, if lordosis appeared as a result of any disease, you first need to get rid of the disease, i.e. eliminate the cause, and gradually correct the consequences for the back.

If lordosis was detected on early stages then it is easy to cure.

Physical therapy exercises will strengthen the muscular corset, which will reduce lower back pain. Such classes can be carried out at home, without the use of special simulators.

The best effect will give a combination of power loads with relaxation and stretching exercises.

In more complex cases, medicines are added to the above measures: (, Tizanidin, Meprotan), painkillers,.

With congenital lordosis and in very advanced cases, only an operation can help, after which rehabilitation measures and the continuation of traditional treatment will be carried out.

At lumbar lordosis the natural deflection of the spine in the lumbar region changes. As a result of pathological changes, pain occurs, posture is distorted, and the lumbar vertebrae are deformed. Running lordosis leads to dysfunction of the internal organs located in the pelvic area.

Description of the disease

In the normal state, the spine in the lumbar region deviates from an imaginary vertical along the human body by 20-40°. A greater deviation leads to the development of pathologies. Physiological lordosis performs the functions of the correct distribution of the load on the spine during walking, cushions and softens the discs during movement.

In most cases, hyperlordosis develops, in which the angle of deviation of the lumbar reaches 40-45°. With a strong increase in the deflection angle, serious external deformation occurs, which manifests itself not only painful sensations, but also a clear visual defect.

Some patients are diagnosed with straightened lumbar lordosis, which means that the angle of deviation from the imaginary axis has gone down. The loin deviates less than 20°. This manifestation of pathology is called hypolordosis or smoothed lordosis. Hypolordosis is more often detected in older people. The risk group includes people with osteochondrosis and hernias of the lumbar.

Reasons for the development of the disease

Lumbar lordosis occurs as a result of excessive loads, as well as after the transfer of some infectious and organic diseases. Such a pathology may be congenital. Lordosis is classified based on the causes of occurrence:

Primary. This degree of lordosis can be either congenital or develop under the influence of other diseases and pathologies. Primary lordosis is often the result of inflammation of the vertebral discs, disorders in the structure muscle tissue, tendons. Neoplasms in the pelvic region can also lead to lordosis.
Secondary. It develops as a result of the transfer of physical injuries of the lower back and joints of the hip. As a result of the injury, the angle of inclination of the lumbar region relative to the axis changes, and pathology gradually appears.

Lordoses are formed by different reasons. Hyper- and hypolordosis are the result of certain diseases (see table).

Additional reasons for the development of lordosis of the lumbar spine:

In the last trimester of pregnancy, the center of gravity female body changes, gait, posture change, the load on the spine increases. If the back muscles are weakened, then lordosis can form and flow into a chronic form.
In childhood, lordosis develops as a result of birth trauma- severe pregnancy and childbirth with fetal hypoxia. Back injuries and falls of the mother also pose a danger to the embryo.

In people of any age, a smoothed lumbar lordosis occurs with a downward deviation.

At-risk groups

The likelihood of developing pathology increases in adults under the following circumstances:

Flat feet (changes posture, gait).
Passive lifestyle.
Drinking alcohol, smoking and the constant intoxication of the body that accompanies them.

In cases of development of lordosis due to injuries or other external factors, the disease can be successfully corrected with full recovery normal position of the lower back, and the return of an aesthetic appearance to the body.
Symptoms of lordosis

When the disease is just beginning to develop, a person practically does not notice changes. The main symptom of the initial stage is a mild feeling of heaviness and aches in the lumbar region, which a person notices at the end of the day and associates with fatigue. Without diagnosis and medical intervention, the symptoms increase.

Common symptoms of lordosis:

Pain in the lower back increases, spreads to groin, lower abdomen and up the back, up to the shoulder blades.

After physical exertion, there is a feeling of heaviness in the legs. Every day a person feels tired, which becomes chronic.

The development of external changes: the abdomen begins to bulge, the buttocks noticeably move back, the hips cease to come together without noticeable effort.

Constant pain in the lumbar region causes a reflex desire to put a hand to this place. This manifestation can be seen in the elderly or pregnant women in the last stages of pregnancy.

Tilts also cause pain, a person tries to do squatting movements instead of inclined ones.

Menstruation in women is accompanied by complications, pain, in men it is possible to develop impotence.

In the initial stages, lordosis can be corrected by conservative therapeutic methods.

You can diagnose nascent lordosis yourself. You need to lie on a hard surface, preferably on the floor. Fix the body on the back in an even position. A hand is placed under the waist. It should go into the gap between the floor and the back. If a fist is placed in space, we can talk about hyperlordosis. Even if the palm does not pass or fits with difficulty - hypolordosis.

Treatment Methods

For successful treatment important timely diagnosis diseases. If a person has non-fixed lordosis, in which the back remains mobile, deal with initial stage you can on your own. With a fixed lordosis, medical intervention is necessary. As diagnostic measures computed tomography, x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging are used. Last method common when examining patients with suspected oncology.
Therapeutic treatment includes the use drugs and physiotherapy. Drugs are prescribed to relieve pain and eliminate inflammation. Physiotherapy allows you to enhance the effect of medications and align the position of the lumbar spine. The prescribed groups of drugs are listed below.

Medicines

Painkillers

The patient is treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Most often it is Movalis in ampoules and tablets. The analgesic effect of the drug is achieved within a few minutes after the injection, and 15 minutes after taking the pill. Movalis's analogs:

Meloxicam.

Nimesulide.

Ibuprofen.

Diclofenac.

Ketorolac.

If the pain syndrome occurs between taking drugs or injections, ointments are additionally used. Standard remedy Diclofenac can be replaced by analogues - Voltaren, Fastum-gel, Indomethacin.

Muscle relaxants

Such drugs are designed to reduce muscle tone and eliminate spasms. With lordosis, Mydocalm, Toperisone, Sirdalud are prescribed.

Chondroprotectors

Reception of medicines lasts not less than 4 months. The standard course is six months. They are used in the destruction of tissues of the vertebral discs. Helps restore tissue and improve blood circulation. These drugs include:

Chondrex.

Artrid.

Mukosat.

Teraflex.

Artiflex.

Glucocorticoids

Designed to stop inflammation. The duration of administration and dosage is determined by the doctor, depending on the current condition of the patient:

Prednisolone.

Medopred.

Salt-Decortin.

Prednisolone-Ferein.

vitamins

They are prescribed for general strengthening of the body and improvement of nerve conduction. With lordosis, it is recommended to combine vitamins of groups B, D, E.

The number of drugs, their types, dosages and duration of administration are determined by the doctor. The selection is based on clinical picture- the current deviation of the spine from the norm. If the patient experiences side effects, it is not recommended to select analogues on your own. Replacement of drugs should be monitored by a specialist.

Physiotherapy measures

Apply as in rehabilitation period after surgery, and as a method of treatment in the early stages of lordosis. Doctors prescribe:

electrophoresis. It is carried out with the use of anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Helps to restore the metabolic process in the area of affected tissues.

Treatment with current, ultrasound, infrared radiation. Methods are designed to improve blood circulation. In rare cases, magnetic therapy and leech therapy are used, but such methods are considered obsolete.

Acupuncture. It has an analgesic effect, improves nerve conduction.

Medical massage of affected areas. Restores muscle tone to normal. The spine is better kept in a natural position.

Some clinics prescribe spinal traction. For this, a pool bowl with installed special equipment is used. The procedure must be carried out by a highly qualified specialist.

Physical exercise

Physiotherapy - important element restore the correct position of the sacral vertebrae. Applied as for conservative treatment as well as post-surgery rehabilitation. The set of exercises includes:

Forward bends on straight legs. Made from a standing position. The goal is to reach the floor with your fingertips.

Straight back. You need to stand up straight against the wall. Heels, buttocks, shoulders should touch the surface of the wall.

Sitting bends. Forward bends are made, in which you need to grab the calves with your hands. The goal is to get your head to your knees.

Squats. The exercise is done with arms extended forward, heels should not come off the floor.

Horizontal bar. The task is to hang on the horizontal bar to stretch the spine.

Twisting standing and lying. In a standing position, a person rotates the body. In the prone position, it is necessary to raise the knees at a right angle to the floor and shift them from side to side.

deflections. The person lies on his stomach and rests his elbows on the floor. The goal is to tilt the body up as much as possible.

On early stages 7 approaches are performed for each exercise, in the future the load increases. If exercise therapy is prescribed by a doctor, then the quantity and quality of exercises are selected by the instructor.

Surgery for lordosis

Operations are performed in cases of congenital pathologies and lordosis acquired as a result of trauma. Flattening is done under general anesthesia. The main methods for correcting the curvature of the spine in the lumbar region:

Strengthening of the vertebrae with plates or pins. In the damaged section, the spine is securely fixed with metal structures. Vertebral mobility is lost.

Replacement of vertebrae with implants. At the moment, such operations are carried out only in the USA, Germany and Israel. The intervention is expensive, but as a result, the vertebral tissue is completely replaced by flexible prostheses.

Treat lordosis folk methods useless. Compresses and warming compositions will only help as emergency pain relief if there are no appropriate medications at hand.

Prevention of lordosis comes down to management right image life, weight loss, improved nutrition. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, you should take breaks every 45 minutes and warm up. Also useful are visiting the gym, long walks, sleeping on an orthopedic mattress.

Detection of symptoms of lordosis is an important reason for immediate medical attention. The sooner they are discovered pathological changes the easier and faster they can be eliminated.

- This is a physiological or pathological bend in the lumbar spine characterized by a bulge. Every person has a physiological lumbar lordosis (it also exists in cervical region), and pathological lordosis differs from it in the degree of convexity of the bend. Most often, people are diagnosed with pathological lordosis of the lumbar region.

Natural lordosis is formed in a child during the first year, and pathological lordosis can occur at any age. Such disorders in the structure of the spine can be due to many reasons, including congenital and acquired pathologies, as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system, joints, muscles, etc. Pathological lordosis has bad influence not only on the appearance of a person, but also negatively affects the work of internal organs.

The disease manifests itself with back pain and problems with posture, it is treated both surgically and conservatively.

Causes of lumbar lordosis

It is impossible to consider the causes of lumbar lordosis in the context of pathology without understanding what constitutes a normal lumbar lordosis. The anatomical norm for each person is the presence of four bends: two anteriorly (lordosis of the lower back and lordosis of the neck) and two posteriorly (kyphosis of the sacrum and chest zone).

You can notice the first signs of the formation of lumbar lordosis, as well as all other curves of the spine, immediately after the birth of the child. But in infancy, these curves are very weakly expressed. As the child grows older, begins to stand up and take the first steps, lordosis becomes more noticeable. The spine will complete its formation when a person reaches the age of 16-18. However, the pathology of the lumbar curve can begin to form much earlier.

Three lumbar lordosis can be distinguished, depending on its shape:

Hyperlordosis - excessive pathological lordosis.

natural or physiological lordosis.

Hypolordosis is the straightening of the natural curve.

Depending on the degree of fixation of lordosis, one can distinguish:

Fixed bend. In this case, even by an effort of will, a person cannot return the body to its normal position. Most often, this type of lordosis is formed due to the presence of volumetric formations in the spinal column, for example, with. The disease usually manifests in middle age. The onset of the disease can be both acute and imperceptible to a person. The course of pathology has an unfavorable prognosis, leads to severe pain and neurodystrophic changes in soft tissues.

Partially fixed bend. In this case, changes in the angle of lordosis are limited. The development of this form of lordosis most often leads to either arachnoiditis spinal cord. The disease develops at a young age. The course of the disease is favorable.

Unfixed bend. In this case, the patient can, by an effort of will, return the spine to its normal position. This form of the disease most often becomes the result of hip contracture, or spondylolisthesis.

Having considered the anatomy of the human lumbar lordosis, we can proceed to the causes of pathological lordosis of the lumbar spine.

All etiological factors are divided into two large groups:

Diverse pathological processes in the spinal column, which lead to the formation of primary lordosis. Primary lordosis can occur in a person due to birth defects development of the spinal column. In addition, the cause can be neoplasms in the vertebrae, their inflammation.

Another etiological factor in the development of the disease is spondylolisthesis. It is a displacement of the upper vertebra in relation to the lower one due to trauma, tumor, congenital pathology etc.

Dangerous in terms of the development of primary pathological lordosis, muscle torsion spasms or torsion dystonia, which are a manifestation of disorders in the functioning of the nervous system and are of a progressive nature. Also, inert tuberculosis can lead to the pathology of the vertebral bend.

Naturally, a pathological bend can occur as a result of spinal cord injuries, both open and closed.

Adaptive or compensatory reactions of the lumbar spine that occur in response to non-physiological conditions for it and lead to the formation of secondary lordosis, including:

Intra-articular and extra-articular ankylosis of the hip joint.

Congenital or acquired hip dislocation.

Stable restrictions on the mobility of the hip joint (contractures).

Diseases of the muscles and skeletal system.

Cerebral spastic palsy of the legs.

Diagnosis of lumbar lordosis is the responsibility of an orthopedist. After listening to the patient's complaints and examining him, the doctor will refer the patient to undergo x-rays. Also in the arsenal of a specialist there are methods that, already during the initial examination, will determine the degree of mobility of lordosis, as well as the presence of neurological disorders. The mandatory examination program includes palpation of the muscles of the back and the spine itself. The doctor also assesses the condition of the organs chest cavity with specific tests.

Radiography is performed in two projections (direct and lateral). To establish the degree of pathology during the execution of images, the patient can be forced to straighten up and bend as much as possible. Based on the obtained images, it will also be possible to judge the presence of violations in the form and structure of the vertebrae, as well as the correctness of their relative position.

Treatment of lumbar lordosis

Treatment of lumbar lordosis is the responsibility of an orthopedist or vertebrologist. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the cause that led to the formation of a pathological bend.

The patient goes through orthopedic procedures, he is required to undergo kinesitherapy rehabilitation. Useful massotherapy, good effect gives manual therapy. IN individually a complex physiotherapy exercises. Swimming and water aerobics are very useful, but the back should not be too overloaded.

Doctors sometimes prescribe a multivitamin to help keep bones healthy. They should contain phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, vitamin D and vitamin A.

As for drug therapy, it is usually symptomatic. It is possible to take painkillers that, if necessary, relieve inflammation - these are Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Movalis.

Also, to reduce pain, wearing a corset or bandage is shown. Surgical intervention is carried out in case of detection of primary lordosis.

Education: In 2005, she completed an internship at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, she completed her postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous Diseases".

Lordosis of the lumbar - what is it?

The word "lordosis" in the human body is called the natural bulges of the spine forward for a comfortable body position, they are in the neck and lower back. Is it good or bad to have lordosis and kyphosis - bulge thoracic V reverse side? The curvature itself is not a pathology if the deflection angle does not exceed the norm and is 150-170 degrees in the lumbar region.

Area affected by lumbar lordosis

Each person has a physiological lordosis, but a pathological one, the indicators of which are deviated from the norm, can occur at any age.

Types of pathological lordosis

When making a diagnosis, the doctor evaluates the pathology according to several criteria. First of all, the specialist evaluates the time of occurrence of an increased or decreased bend in the lumbar spine.

Depending on the reasons that influenced the growth of pathological lordosis, it is divided into:

Primary lordosis lumbar region develops under the influence of internal changes organism. At inflammatory processes, appearance oncological diseases, muscle weakness or incorrect position of the vertebrae affect the degree of curvature of the spine and lead to deviations;
Secondary lordosis- a disease that occurs as a result of external influences.

Pathology manifests itself in two forms:

With hypolordosis, the physiological curvature of the lower back is straightened. In this case, it is more than 170 degrees;
Hyperlordosis is expressed by increased deflection of the lumbar spine, degree measure the angle decreases to 140-145.

Causes of congenital lordosis

important role in the progression of pathology in early age plays the nature of childbirth and diseases of the parents:

Violation in the bends of the mother's spine;
Congenital damage to the brain and central nervous system;
Injuries during childbirth;
Improper physical growth of the baby.

Formation of the curves of the spine in a child

Acquired lordosis. Causes

In most cases, lumbar lordosis develops throughout life and gains intensity over the years. Therefore, the main reasons doctors include lifestyle, as well as:

Absence or insufficient quantity physical activity leads to muscle weakness, the load is transferred to the spine and over time, the bending angle goes out of the norm;
Obesity. Being overweight creates additional pressure on the spine.
Pathology and lack of mobility of the hip joint;
Direct trauma to the spine;
Chronic diseases, inflammation;
The development of malignant or benign tumors in the lumbar region;
Overwork and muscle damage due to excessive physical exertion.

Pregnant women are at particular risk. During this period, the pressure on the spine of the girl is maximally increased, the curve of the lower back increases and becomes too concave. After childbirth, it can return to normal, or it can develop into pathological hyperlordosis.

Lordosis of the lumbar during pregnancy

Symptoms of lumbar lordosis

With a slight violation, a person may not experience any discomfort in the lumbar region and be unaware of the presence of a curvature of the spine. The intensity of manifestation increases with increasing deviation of the angle in one direction or another.

The following symptoms indicate that lordosis is increased:

Protruding belly, strongly arched lower back;
Abduction of the buttocks and pelvis back;
Large distance between the surface and the lower back in the supine position;
Sensation of pain in the lower back when lying on the stomach.

With hypolordosis observed:

Straightening the lower back, smoothing the deflection;
Rounding of the upper back;
Overstrain and flattening of the lumbar muscles;
Feeling of numbness in the lumbar region.

Common signs for two types of lordosis of the spine in the lumbar region are:

Fatigue when walking or sitting;
Improper functioning of the pelvic organs and the gastrointestinal tract;
Pain or numbness in the legs, lower back;
Sleep disorders.

Diagnostics

The first signs of lumbar lordosis can be determined independently. It is necessary to stand with your back to the wall, press your head and buttocks against it, and then try to hold your hand in the bend of the lower back. If this is possible, then the development of hyperlordosis has begun. Even if the palm passes with difficulty, the bend is too straightened.

Primary examination by a traumatologist for lumbar lordosis

At the first suspicion of the presence of lumbar lordosis, it is necessary to contact a traumatologist. During the initial examination, analysis of muscle tone, the diagnosis is established and the need for subsequent research methods:

On x-ray the position of the vertebrae is clearly visible, which helps to conclude that the exact presence of lumbar lordosis, however, does not indicate the causes of the disease.
CT ( CT scan) gives an idea of the state of the bone tissue.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is prescribed for suspected soft tissue lesions, neuralgic causes of the disease, oncological formations.

Treatment

The fight against lumbar lordosis begins with the elimination of the cause. Only after the elimination of the main cause, it is necessary to proceed to the normalization of the bend of the lower back.

The treatment complex includes improving the work of the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems, with a curvature of the spine, unnatural pressure is exerted on the organs, which leads to diseases of the whole organism.

It is important to have versatile therapy, only with this approach it is possible to ensure the complete correction of lumbar lordosis. Therapy must be started immediately, the consequences of lordosis include the development of arthrosis, lordoscoliosis, hernias.

Medications

All medications must be prescribed strictly by the attending physician. Popular drug groups for lumbar lordosis are anti-inflammatory, painkillers that relieve spasm and warm up.

Medicines for lordosis - only as prescribed by a doctor

Additionally, B vitamins can be prescribed to improve the condition of the skeletal system of the body.

Physical exercise

Performing special exercises tones the back muscles. All complexes of physiotherapy exercises contain a number of strength exercises that strengthen the muscle corset, and stretching that provides relaxation and relieves spasms, the establishment of natural curves of the spine and lower back.

Performance does not require additional equipment, anyone can do the exercises:

From a supine position, push your feet behind your head and rest your fingertips on the floor. Hands are spread apart.
Stand up straight, as you exhale, lower your body to the floor, aim for the floor with your fingers, your stomach stretches to your knees. Feel the stretch in your lower back.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart. As you exhale, do deep squats. Watch the position of the knees, they do not go beyond the socks, try to relieve the load from the back, striving for the natural deflection of the lower back.
Lie on your back. Raise your knees bent at a right angle. Hands are behind the head. As you exhale, twist and alternately try to reach your heels with each hand.

There is a wide variety of complexes, exercises are prescribed by a specialist. The practice of yoga is often used in therapy.

Massage

Massage sessions relieve muscle spasm, help improve blood circulation in the lumbar region, and relax nervous system.

Massage of the lumbar spine

In addition to classical massage, acupressure or lymphatic drainage is often prescribed.

Bandage for lordosis

One of the bandage options for lordosis

Wearing is prescribed for patients with a pronounced form of lordosis of the lumbar spine, as well as for women during pregnancy. In this case, the risk of developing further disorders in the position of the spine is prevented.

Surgical intervention

The operation is required only in case of a strong curvature of the lower back, most often with congenital pathological lordosis. Damaged vertebrae are replaced with artificial or metal ones.

This method of treatment can result in an infection or disability, which is dangerous.

Sleep rules for lordosis

Sleeping on a regular bed can exacerbate the problem. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase a special orthopedic mattress, based on individual indicators of height and weight.

Orthopedic mattress will help get rid of lordosis

Before buying, sleeping with hyperlordosis or hypolordosis should be on the stomach or back, placing a roller under the lower back of such a volume that will be equal to the natural deflection.

Prevention

It is important to take preventive measures in childhood, during the formation of the skeleton. Compliance the following rules can protect a person from spinal injuries, health will be preserved:

Watch your posture throughout the day, never slouch.
Give up bad habits - smoking, alcohol.
Try to include as much activity as possible in your day, walk more, take the stairs instead of the elevator, go in for sports.
Do exercises regularly to strengthen your abdominal muscles.
During sedentary work, perform a warm-up set of exercises as a pause. Get up, walk around the office/corridor for a few minutes.
During classes in gym fully observe the technique of exercises, monitor the weight in the exercises performed.
Pay great attention to weight, excess weight leads to a lot of problems, including lordosis.
While working at the computer, do not stretch your neck forward, the monitor should be at a distance of 45-70 cm from the eyes, the keyboard should be on the table surface.

people leading healthy lifestyle of life, are reliably protected from pathologies of the spinal column, which are very dangerous for the state of the work of the whole organism. But with the right approach to the treatment of pathological lordosis, each person is able to correct the curvature of the lower back and return to ordinary life with a normal healthy back.