What we see in our office is that patients with Lumbar Disk Disease have more difficulty with postural balance. These patients with low back pain caused by lumbar disk disease (LDD) are more likely to exhibit postural instability. We find that they tend to lean to one side more than the other. They usually tend to list to one side as they get up from a chair or couch. We will often find that one side of the body is more tight or weak.
Furthermore, when researchers looked at how much load each leg supported, they found the disparity between the right and left limbs was greater in the LDD patients than in the control group. Patients with low back pain associated with lumbar disc related pain had both decreased postural control and significant lower limb foot pressure asymmetry, most likely due to the presence of radiating leg pain, which may increase the likelihood of sustaining further injury. It’s important to address these postural imbalances and lessen the load on the body and spine.
Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics, December 2016