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Dear colleagues,
Recently I found this "time capsule" in the book "Thursday Afternoons"
by Monica Dickens (a book that describes the life and work of an English
physician in London in 1939);in the course of a friendly and jocular
meeting with an old friend the doctor slapped his friend "on his curved
back" and said:
"Lordosis, my boy. If you were my patient I'd put you in a plaster cast
for six months".
He was probably jesting but it does seem that a lumber lordosis was
regarded as a deformity in some circles (and not a sign of normal good
health) and that immobilisation in a plaster cast was a common treatment
option for back problems. What puzzles me is that I hear that there are
still some physicians who worry about the effects of a supposedly
excessive lordosis and that they warn patients that it is a risk factor
for backache.
Does anyone know if there any evidence that a lordosis can be excessive?
And if so is it a risk factor back pain?
Regards,
David McFarlane MAppSc (Ergonomics)
Ergonomist, WorkCover NSW
Reference
M Dickens, (1945), Thursday Afternoons" [Penguin Books, London], p 93.
Disclaimer
Any recommendation concerning the use or representation of a particular
brand of product in this document or any mention of them whatsoever
(whether this appears in the text, illustrations, photographs or in any
other form) is not to be taken to imply that WorkCover NSW approves or
endorses the product or the brand.
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Recently I found this "time capsule" in the book "Thursday Afternoons"
by Monica Dickens (a book that describes the life and work of an English
physician in London in 1939);in the course of a friendly and jocular
meeting with an old friend the doctor slapped his friend "on his curved
back" and said:
"Lordosis, my boy. If you were my patient I'd put you in a plaster cast
for six months".
He was probably jesting but it does seem that a lumber lordosis was
regarded as a deformity in some circles (and not a sign of normal good
health) and that immobilisation in a plaster cast was a common treatment
option for back problems. What puzzles me is that I hear that there are
still some physicians who worry about the effects of a supposedly
excessive lordosis and that they warn patients that it is a risk factor
for backache.
Does anyone know if there any evidence that a lordosis can be excessive?
And if so is it a risk factor back pain?
Regards,
David McFarlane MAppSc (Ergonomics)
Ergonomist, WorkCover NSW
Reference
M Dickens, (1945), Thursday Afternoons" [Penguin Books, London], p 93.
Disclaimer
Any recommendation concerning the use or representation of a particular
brand of product in this document or any mention of them whatsoever
(whether this appears in the text, illustrations, photographs or in any
other form) is not to be taken to imply that WorkCover NSW approves or
endorses the product or the brand.
************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************
This message, including any attached files, is intended solely for the addressee named and may contain confidential
information. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. Any views expressed in this
message are those of the individual sender and are not necessarily the views of WorkCover NSW. Please consider the environment
before printing this E-mail.
************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************