The relationship between lumbar lordosis angle and low back pain in individuals with transfemoral amputation

Background:Low back pain is a common secondary disabling condition in the transfemoral amputee population. Transfemoral amputees are at risk of excessive lumbar lordosis; it has been suggested that increased lumbar lordosis may be associated with low back pain. However, the relationship between lumbar lordosis angle and low back pain has not yet been studied in this population.Objective:To determine whether the extent of lumbar lordosis is associated with low back pain in transfemoral amputees.Study design:Case–control observational study.Methods:Participants included eight transfemoral amputees without low back pain and nine transfemoral amputees with low back pain. Etiology of amputation was primarily trauma. All participants underwent lateral view radiographs of the lumbar spine, from which lumbar lordosis angle and sacral inclination angle were measured.Results:Lumbar lordosis angle mean ± standard deviation was 46.1° ± 12.4° in participants with low back pain and 51.0° ± 12.6° in those without. Sacra...