[Long term development of recurrent lumbagos. Apropos of 81 cases]

Retrospective history and examination have been performed in 81 patients presenting with recurrent acute low back pain. Mean age of onset of first episode was 33 years and 52 years for the last one. Higher frequency of acute low back pain is observed between 45 and 50 years. After 60 years, nearly 33 percent of this population had painful back syndrom clinically identical to previous episodes. 75 percent had chronic intercurrent low back pain. Severity of low back pain episode was not a constant during period of observation. Only 16 percent had a definite sciatica. Review of all preventive therapy did not show any specific efficiency. At the end of study only 12 percent have no low back pain. However, more than a third have a normal clinical examination of lumbar spine.