[Functional therapy in primary unstable injuries of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Indications and limits]

There are good results in the functional conservative treatment of the primary stable lesion of the thoracic and the lumbar part of the spine. Late results show that traumatic deformation can be compensated by the spine and by trained muscles. Segmental mobility can be generally neglected. Real late instabilities are very seldom. Static complaints caused by left deformation are important especially if the spine was previously damaged. Then, primary or early secondary operative reposition, replacement and segmental spondylodesis are indicated.