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In a comparative study of 1024 low back pain and healthy subjects, prelysis was found in 16.4%, lysis in 10.5% and olisthesis in 2%. No relation between prelysis and lysis, and low back pain was found. Lysis seemed to be associated with a higher severity of low back pain. All the subjects with olisthesis suffered from low back pain. Based on these findings, it is concluded that lysis or pre-lysis should not be a ground for the exclusion of candidates to any occupation, but that olisthesis should, and that both lysis and olisthesis should be accepted as roentgenological findings in which the severity of low back pain may be higher, thus justifying a more prolonged sick leave.

The relation between LBP and transitional vertebra was investigated in 312 subjects; 148 healthy individuals served as controls. An overall incidence of 0.65% lumbarization and 20.8% sacralization was found; of the latter, one third were partial and two-thirds complete. The incidence was markedly lower in women. No direct relation between sacralization, partial or complete, and LBP was found; this was based on interrelation of the LBP and control groups, with or without sacralization, to age, ethnic community, occupation, number of changes of occupation or place of employment, duration of LBP, and physical occupational requirements (sitting, standing, bending, sudden maximal effort). There is some evidence that LBP, when associated with sacralization, may be more severe.

Neuro-orthopedic examination was carried out on 429 patients suffering from LBP, and on 271 controls. Neurological deficit was found in 49 LBP but in none of the controls. Of the orthopedic signs, the most significant indicators of LBP were hypolordosis, scoliosis, limitation of movement and contracted paraspinal muscles. Various degrees of affection of the hip joints were found in 49 LBP as against 4 controls; the majority of these patients complained of LBP and not of hip disorders. It is stressed that an early and thorough neuro-orthopedic examination is essential for diagnosis and therapy and has important legal implications, mainly with regard to the time factor.

The relation between LBP and SBO was studied in 1244 subjects, of which 800 had LBP and 444 served as controls. Sex, age, occupational characteristics, spine curvatures, spinal movements and work history were compared. It is concluded that SBO does not play a causative role, does not cause a proneness to LBP and does not influence the chronicity of LBP. Some data seem to indicate that the severity of LBP may be increased by SBO.