[Pain and functional disturbances of the lumbar spine in lumbar herniated discs.].

In this study we attempted to explore the correlation between lumbar disc herniation and functional disorders of the lumbar spine. Fifty patients with lumbar disc herniation proven by computed tomography underwent a comprehensive functional, neurological and radiological examination. All patients were compared to a control group consisting of 16 healthy subjects of comparable age. Only patients without signs of bone or soft tissue alterations or pregnancy at the time of examination were included into the study. Herniations of the L4-5 disc showed a dysfunction in the same segment in 64% of the cases. There was also a correlation between this segmental dysfunction and pain in the sacrotuberal and iliolumbar ligaments. All patients with segmental dysfunction felt pain in the dorsal ligaments. If there was no segmental dysfunction pain in the dorsal ligaments was encountered just as often as in the control group. Herniations of the L5-S1 disc had a dysfunction in the same segment in only 12% of the cases, but in 35% there was dysfunction of the L4-5 motion segment. In this group pain in the dorsal ligaments did not correlate with segmental movements. Frequency of ligamental pain in L4-5 herniations was equal to that in L5-S1 herniations. With increasing size of the disc herniation, the frequency of segmental dysfunction, paralysis and loss of reflexes also increased, but the pain in the dorsal ligament decreased.Segmental dysfunction is explained by increased muscular tone being provoked by irritation of the sinuvertebral nerve. The differences between L4-5 and L5-S1 movements are probably due to the different functional anatomy of these segments. Ligamental pain may be explained by the fact that these ligaments have the same insertion and the muscles have increased in tone.