Disability of the back in industrial workers. Are work restrictions justified on roentgen abnormalities alone?

In a company of over 75,000 employees, an analysis was made of cases of compensable disability of the back in a period of five years to determine the value, if any, of routine pre-employment x-ray examination of the spine. Of particular interest was the relationship between the finding of spondylolisthesis and Schmorl's node to the awards. It is often difficult to offer conclusive evidence of any kind. Sometimes there is complaint of impairment of back function with no objective symptoms, sometimes no complaint at all although abnormalities are readily demonstrable.