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Flatback Syndrome
When the proper curves in the spine that support an economical stance requiring minimum energy to stand or walk fail, the result is a condition called Flatback syndrome.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms include having trouble maintaining a proper posture, low back pain and thigh pain. Since the person has trouble maintaining proper alignment, the symptoms might increase throughout the day due to fatigue. Patients might also have upper back and neck pain due to constantly trying to realign themselves. These symptoms can often develop to be very painful and leads some patients to having to take medications.
Causes
Flatback syndrome was originally used to describe Harrington rods recipients (1960s- early 1990s) due to the fact the rods sometimes flattened th
e normal sway of the spine. This was due to the rods extending down into the lower part of the spine. The rods were unable to follow the natural curve of the lower back, which caused the spine to unnaturally straighten out. This unnatural movement helped advance the degeneration of discs in the spine. New advancements in modern scoliosis technology have been credited it making flatback syndrome a much less common problem.
Degenerative Disc Disease can contribute to the person having trouble maintaining upright posture. This disease is from normal wear on the intervertebral discs.
Other conditions that may cause flatback syndrome include having collapsed vertebrae. Arthritis can also contribute to flatback syndrome and cause inflammations in the spine, which may cause pain and stiffness.
Diagnosis
Most patients with flatback syndrome will complain of having trouble maintaining a standing upright posture. If the doctor determines you might have flatback syndrome, he or she will order a full-length X-ray of the spine. An MRI or CT scan might also be taken to help the doctor better understand the health of the spine and discs.
Treatment
Patients diagnosed with Flatback syndrome will initially be treated with an individualized physical therapy program and anti-inflammatory medication. If all non-surgical options have become exhausted, it may be necessary to surgery.
Home Remedy Book
As a community service, Northwest Florida Spine mails out a free 36-page Home Remedy Book with customized stretches that can relieve some back and neck pain symptoms. Enter your name and address and we will mail you a copy.
Back to Life Journal
Download our free 16-page Back to Life Journal that shows how to get back to golf, tennis, hiking and more with home remedies. Insert your email to subscribe and download.
Symptoms Chart
Some symptoms can become permanent if you don’t see the physician with in 24 hours. Find out when you can use “watchful waiting” and when you have an emergency symptom.
Exercise Library
What do exercises have to do with relieving pain? Research in sports medicine and spine care exercises have shown to help relieve joint, ligament, muscle problems in the legs, arms, neck and back and increase range of motion.
Need an Appointment?
Dr. Michael Rohan, Jr. is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained in spine surgery, the highest level of medical education in the U.S. For over 10 years, Dr. Michael Rohan, Jr. had a prominent spine center on the Florida Gulf Coast with offices in Panama City and Destin before expanding his practice with a new spine care location in Middleburg in Clay County, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville in Northern Florida. The Jacksonville practice location is convenient to patients from other cities like St. Augustine, Gainesville, Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, and Duval County. Other patients travel from South Georgia cities like Brunswick, GA; Waycross, GA; and coastal locations like Jekyll Island and Savannah. If you’ve been told you need spine surgery, it can be beneficial to get a second opinion for spine surgery from a spine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement.
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