Chapter 19 Table 1 to Article 19.04 Assessment of Lumbar Spine

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Table of Disabilities

Table 1 to Article 19.04 Assessment of Lumbar Spine
Assessment	Symptoms (see note)	Posture	Range of Motion	Straight Leg Raising	Reflexes and/ or	Wasting	Toe & Heel Walking	Medication	Back Brace
0 to 10%	Occasional mild pain	Little loss of lumbar lordosis	Nearly full range of motion	90 degrees essentially painless	Normal	None	No impairment	Essentially nil	No
10 to 20%	Recurrent mild pain	Slight flattening of lumbar lordosis	Decreased by at least 20%	60 to 90 degrees back and buttock discomfort	Normal	None	No impairment	Minimal not continuous	No
20 to 30%	Recurrent moderate or mild continuous pain	Loss of lumbar lordosis and/ or scoliosis	Decreased 30- to 50% alteration of rhythm	Less than 75 degrees radiation beyond buttock	Present may be diminished	Wasting Minimal	No impairment	Mild regular medication	May be worn
30 to 40%	Moderate relatively constant pain	As for 20 to 30%	Decreased 50% minimal lumbar movement	As for 20 to 30%	Reflex and\ or sensory change probably present	Wasting moderate	Possible alteration	Moderate regular medication	May be worn
Above 40%	Unusual complications such as alteration of bodily function or intractable pain.

(Note: Pain may be lumbar and/ or referred due to nerve root pressure).

Table 2 to Article 19.04

Assessment of lumbar spine disability following surgery:

Updated: 2002-3-13