Spinal Disorders as a Cause of Locomotive Syndrome: The Influence on Functional Mobility and Activities of Daily Living

Abstract

Spinal disorders are one of the most common causes of locomotive syndrome because the spine plays an important role as the locomotive organs which provide the three functions: body frames, junction sites, and motors/ regulators. Previous reports have shown that low back pain or leg pain and/or intermittent claudication due to spinal stenosis in lumbar spine disorders, gait abnormality due to degenerative cervical myelopathy in cervical spine disorders, and trunk imbalance due to adult spinal deformity have negative effects on walking speed, walking distance, and movement ability, thereby increasing the risk of falling. Patients for whom conservative managements have failed are considered for surgical treatment. However, degenerative changes on radiographical examinations are sometimes observed in asymptomatic elderly people, which suggests that degenerative changes are not always the cause of pain or disability in the elderly, particularly non-specific low back pain and neck pain. Therefore, the evidence is insufficient regarding how effective surgical treatments can be for improving walking and movement ability and social participation of elderly patients. In addition to better evidence for the efficacy of various treatments, more attention concerning checkups and prevention of locomotive syndrome are urgently needed in aging populations.