Original paper
Testing the influence of lumbar spine rotation on range of hip joint motions among patients with L4-L5 and/or L5-S1 hernial discopathy

Any types of abnormal asymmetrical location of movement system elements cause its overload. Especially often this concerns the spine because variations in spinal curvature as a defensive reflex against pain occur in the course of many pathologies. In our examination we were interested in the influence of location change of the lumbar spine section along its long axis on the movement range of hip joints. 44 patients hospitalised because of sciatica were examined. Patients were physically examined, including motion range measurements of hip joints with manual goniometer. MRI tests of lumbosacral spine (LS) and x-rays of spine and pelvis were performed to verify the initial diagnosis. Rotations, degree of scoliosis and lordosis of lumbar spine section was assessed on the basis of x-ray tests. In the group of examined patients, rotations of the lower lumbar vertebrae were found in 22 patients, which constituted 50% of the total number of examined patients. Scoliosis was not found among those patients. A significant statistical relationship between range of straightening motion of hip joint and rotation direction was found in the group of patients with rotations of lower lumbar vertebrae. In the group of patients with rotation to the right side, range of straightening motion of the hip joint decreased on the right side (13.6° on the left side, 9.1° on the right side). In the case of oppositely directed rotation, the range of straightening motion was lower on the left side (10.3° on the left side and 14.2° on the right side). Testing suggests that the correlation demonstrated is one of the elements of gait stereotype disturbances among patients suffering from discopathy which may have a negative influence on the function of lower limb joints in the chronic course of the disease.