2022 Volume 13 Issue 5 Pages 791-797
Introduction: The size of lumbar disc herniation and its spinal canal occupancy has been reported to be related to back pain, leg pain, and numbness. It has also been reported that obesity can affect the clinical symptoms of lumbar disc herniation. We evaluated the relationship between the preoperative clinical symptoms and size of the hernia, its spinal canal occupancy, and body mass index (BMI) in patients with lumbar disc herniation.
Methods: We evaluated the relationship between the size of the hernia, its spinal canal occupancy on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and BMI, and clinical findings using visual analogue scale (VAS) of lower back pain, lower extremity pain, and numbness and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) in 101 patients with lumbar disc herniation who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital. In addition, the VAS was divided into the severe and mild-moderate pain and numbness groups, and the JOABPEQ items were divided into the severe and mild-moderate disability groups for comparison regarding age, sex ratio, BMI, size of hernia, and its spinal occupancy.
Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed that being female was a factor for severe leg pain and high BMI was a factor for severe back pain and gait disturbance in the L4/5 group.
Conclusions: It was concluded that sex was associated with lower extremity pain, while BMI was associated with lower back pain and gait dysfunction in the L4/5 level.
