low_back_pain_differential

Low-back pain may be referred from sources other than the lumbar vertebrae, such as the hip or the sacroiliac joint. Twenty to 25% of patients with low-back pain have some positive findings on provocative testing of the hip joint ¹⁾

Hip osteoarthritis can be tested with flexion, abduction, and rotation, such as the Faber test. Trochanteric bursitis is another common extraspinal source of back pain: a 20% rate of greater trochanteric pain syndrome has been reported in patients referred for low-back pain ²⁾

¹⁾

Prather H, Cheng A, Steger-May K, Maheshwari V, Van Dillen L: Hip and lumbar spine physical examination findings in people presenting with low back pain, with or without lower extremity pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 47:163–172, 2017

²⁾

Tortolani PJ, Carbone JJ, Quartararo LG: Greater trochanteric pain syndrome in patients referred to orthopedic spine specialists. Spine J 2:251–254, 2002