Differentiating Hip Versus Back Pathology with a Patient Status Post
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Maria R. Moore, MSPT, DPT1 Differentiating Hip Versus Back Pathology Mary Ann Wilmarth, PT, DPT, with a Patient Status Post Lumbar OCS, MTC, Cert. MDT, CEAS2 Laminectomy and Fusion: A Case Study Marie B. Corkery, PT, DPT, MHS, FAAOMPT3 1Physical Therapist, Lighthouse Healthcare, Inc, Springfield, VA 2Assistant Professor, DPT Program CPS/BCHS Northeastern University and Chief of PT, Harvard University Health Sciences 3Associate Clinical Professor, Physical Therapy Department, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA ABSTRACT be especially difficult to differentiate pain Hip arthritis is a much less common Background: In older adults with originating from the low back from pain condition compared to LBP, with estimates normal degenerative changes, it can be dif- originating in the hip. A common example being 3.2% of the population older than ficult to differentiate low back pain from is differentiating degenerative back patholo- 55 years of age.9 Despite the fact that hip hip pain. The purpose of this report is to gies from intraarticular hip pathologies, OA is less common than LBP, the two con- describe the role of differential diagnosis such as hip osteoarthritis (OA). ditions often coexist. Hip OA can cause of hip from back pathology in a patient Low back pain (LBP) is the second most abnormal gait and spinal sagittal plane post lumbar laminectomy and fusion. Case common cause of disability in adults in alignment and is associated with LBP.10 Hip Description: The patient was a 56-year-old the United States.3 More than 80% of the and spine arthritis are also part of the same female seen in physical therapy two months United States population will experience an age-related degenerative process and there- postoperatively. A thorough examination led episode of LBP sometime during their lives,4 fore often coexist.11 In a prospective study to a differential diagnosis of intraarticular making LBP a diagnosis very commonly looking at 344 patients waiting to receive hip pathology and the patient was referred seen by primary care clinicians and physical hip arthroplasties, 49% reported LBP. Of to an orthopaedic specialist. Outcomes: The therapists. Over the past few decades, there these patients, 66% had resolution of back patient was diagnosed with severe right hip has been an increase in the number of medi- symptoms following their hip surgeries.11 osteoarthritis and scheduled for a right hip cal procedures for the low back, including In a study by Hsieh et al,2 LBP was found arthroplasty. Three months after surgery spinal injections and surgery. Among elderly in 21% of patients who were scheduled to the patient had complete resolution of pain Americans, the increase in procedures is receive a hip arthroplasty, and the presence and return of function. Discussion: Physi- closely related to an increase in diagnostic of LBP was statistically more common in cal therapists should always complete dif- imaging.5 Although magnetic resonance those with a longer duration of hip symp- ferential diagnosis and screen for additional imaging (MRI) is highly sensitive, studies toms. In their study of patients with coex- pathologies. Groin pain, decreased hip inter- have questioned the relevance of MRI find- isting lumbar spine and hip pathologies nal rotation, decreased hip strength, and gait ings in terms of specificity and correlation described as hip-spine syndrome, Ben Galim dysfunction are key findings to differentiate with clinical findings.6-8 In one such study, et al10 followed 25 patients with severe hip between back and hip pathology. MRI was performed on 67 individuals who OA and at least moderate LBP. They found had never had an episode of LBP or sciatica. that in the spine and hip regions, both pain Key Words: differential diagnosis, hip In the group that was younger than 60 years and function improved significantly follow- osteoarthritis, hip pain, physical therapy of age, 20% were found to have a herniated ing hip arthroplasties. A key point recog- nucleus pulposus. In the group that was 60 nized by the authors after the study was that INTRODUCTION years of age or older, all but one person dem- in patients with both hip OA and LBP, the Differentiating low back from hip onstrated degeneration or bulging of a disc in hip should be treated first.10 pathology can be difficult due to overlap- at least one lumbar level.6 In another study, Whether a patient is seen by direct access ping pain referral patterns.1 Intraarticular 200 subjects without a history of LBP were or is referred for any type of low back or hip hip pathology can commonly refer pain to given an initial exam and MRI of the low pain, the physical therapist should be cogni- the groin, anterior thigh, buttock, anterior back and were followed over a 5-year period. zant of the potential structures that could be knee, and lateral thigh regions.2 Similarly, Fifty-one subjects developed a new onset causing the patient’s symptoms. As a practic- with lumbar pathology, pain can be referred of LBP and had a new MRI taken within ing autonomous provider, it is the therapist’s into the proximal, middle, and distal ante- 6 to 12 weeks of the pain onset. Only 4% responsibility to perform a medical screen, rior thigh regions from the L1, L2, and L3 of the subjects showed MRI changes with assess regions above and below the involved nerve roots respectively1 and buttock pain probable clinical significance.7 These studies area, and to rule in or rule out other poten- can originate from the L4 and L5 nerve demonstrate the importance of correlating tial conditions. Figure 1 provides an algo- roots. A thorough history and physical exam normal lumbar degenerative changes, such rithm for evaluation of low back versus hip of the low back and hip areas can guide the as joint space narrowing, disc degeneration, pain with differential diagnosis based on the practitioner in establishing the correct diag- stenosis, osteophyte formation, and lumbar location of pain.1 There are other examples nosis in a timely and efficient manner, while spondylolisthesis, with a thorough history in the literature of using an algorithmic helping to avoid the costly care and manage- and clinical exam, especially in older adults approach to help guide the practitioner in ment of misdiagnosis. In older adults with who would be expected to have age-related developing a hip differential diagnosis based normal lumbar degenerative changes, it can degenerative changes. on location of pain and information from 172 Orthopaedic Practice Vol. 26;3:14 backward slip by at least 3 mm. Presurgery, the patient completed approximately one month of physical therapy treatment with a different physical therapist and also had cor- History and ticosteroid injections with minimal relief. Physical The patient completed a 6-week course of Visceral Groin or anterior physical therapy following her back surgery. complaints thigh pain During that postsurgery time, her main complaints included overall right lower Lumbar pain radiating into extremity weakness, hip stiffness, difficulty the buttock or with stairs walking more than one-quarter leg mile, and pain with sitting or standing for Differential diagnosis: Differential diagnosis: longer than 30 minutes. The patient’s pain -‐diverticulitis/ -‐osteoarthritis hip and was reported mainly in the right groin area diverticulosis knee as well as the right lateral thigh and the lat- -‐inFlammatory bowl Differential diagnosis: -‐avascular necrosis eral and anterior aspects of the right knee disease -‐sacroiliac joint -‐adductor, iliopsoas region. -‐urintary tract infections tendonitis -‐zygapophyseal joint -‐nephrolithiasis -‐septic arthritis -‐diskogenic Tests and Measures -‐appendicitis -‐osteomyelitis -‐radiculopathy At the initial evaluation, the patient’s -‐abdominal aortic -‐metastatic lesions aneurysms -‐lumbar stenosis resting pain score was 3/10 on the visual -‐pelvic or femoral -‐prostatitis -‐piriformis syndrome fractures analog scale. Her Oswestry Disability Ques- -‐epididymitis -‐spondylolisthesis -‐hip dislocation tionnaire score was 34% and her Roland -‐hydroceles -‐lumbosacral -‐labral tear Morris Questionnaire score was 10 out of plexopathy -‐varicoceles -‐peripheral nerve lesion -‐peripheral nerve 24. Both of these questionnaires are widely -‐testicular torsions lesion -‐spinal etiology used to assess pain-related disability in -‐testicular neoplasms -‐spine, pelvic or persons with LBP, and both have demon- -‐ectopic pregnancy femoral fracture strated valid and reliable measures that are -‐dysmenorrhea responsive to change.14 The patient’s lower -‐endometriosis Diagnostics: extremity neural screen was negative, dem- -‐pelvic inFlammatory -‐X-‐ray onstrating normal deep tendon reflexes, disease Diagnostics: -‐MRI normal sensation, no abnormal strength -‐X-‐ray -‐MRI arthrogram findings in the L2-S1 myotomes, and nega- -‐MRI -‐EMG tive neural tension in the sciatic and femo- -‐Bone Scan -‐Musculoskeletal ultrasound ral nerves. Although her lumbar ROM was Internal -‐EMG globally limited, it was painfree. Her single medicine -‐Sed rate, ANA, RA titre -‐Diagnostic injection consultation -‐Hip aspiration: cell count, leg static balance was decreased for the right -‐Musculoskeletal crystals, culture & lower extremity as she was able to maintain ultrasound sensitivity balance for about 5 seconds. Her initial Figure 1. Algorithm for evaluation of low back and hip pain. Reprinted with strength measurements assessed