Case #1 Answers

Here are my answers for Physical Therapy Case Study #1

Is this patient appropriate for Physical Therapy?

Possibly not the lower abdomen, middle lumbar spine and buttock pain could be referred pain from the large intestines. Also her history of osteoporosis means that she could have a vertebral fracture

Is it simple LBP, nerve root pain or a serious pathology?

Could be a serious large intestine pathology. The nerve irritation signs indicate that it could be radiculopathy.  Pain that varies with physical activity and time as well as age between 20-55 indicates that it could be simple backache.

What Treatment Classification are they in?

Manipulation 2/6, Specific Exercise 0/3, Stabilization 3/7, Traction 2/7

What do you expect/how will you change your examination for this patient?

If radiculopathy the patient will have sensory, motor and/or reflex deficits of a specific nerve root.  Would expect a positive prone instability test, positive aberrant movements, and hyper mobility with the spring test, If these are not found then the patient is most likely not in the stabilization treatment classification.

What structures could be involved?

Her symptoms seem to indicate that that it is nerve root damage