Significance of clinical lumbar scoliosis in low back pain

Clinical lumbar scoliosis was found in 27.4 per cent of 809 patients complaining of low back pain and in 8.2 per cent of 207 control subjects. Comparison of the low back pain patients with and without lumbar scoliosis showed those with it to be associated with a significantly higher degree of pain (P < 0.001; χ² = 22.55), more neurological deficit (P < 0.001; χ² = 19.65) and a higher frequency of spinal-orthopaedic signs (P < 0.001; χ² = 35.17). Gender, age, duration of low back pain and previous operations on the lumbar spine were not related to lumbar scoliosis. It is concluded that, provided other causes are eliminated, clinical lumbar scoliosis is an objective manifestation of low back pain and a reliable indicator of its severity, especially if accompanied by other signs.