[The conservative treat ment of patients with degenerative lumbar stenosis]

To study factors affecting the course of lumbar stenosis (LS).

In the course of a two-year prospective study, 68 patients with degenerative LS, aged from 51 to 88 years (mean age 66±15.4 years), 21 men and 47 women, were examined. The 1st group consisted of 30 patients with stenosis of the lateral pocket (lateral LS), the 2nd group included 39 patients with central LS.

For patients of the 1st group, significant risk factors for disease progression were spondylolisthesis, pain intensity in the lumbar region during walking, pain intensity in the leg during walking, the degree of LS, while the most significant parameter was spondylolisthesis (regression coefficient was 17.59; p=0.006). A risk factor for the lack of recovery/deterioration in the patients of the 2^nd group was expressed LS, which twice worsened the prognosis of the disease (regression coefficient - 14.79; p=0.003983). The presence of spondylolisthesis in patients with central LS was a risk factor for lack of recovery, but not deterioration. The absence of therapeutic exercise was a risk factor for the progression of the disease.