The Palaeopathology of the Vertebral Column in Ancient Egypt and Nubia

Bourke, J. B.

doi:10.1017/s0025727300016914

Cited by 30 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Early Eskimo, various American Indian, ancient Egyptian, and Iron Age British skeletal series have the vertebral lipping confined mainly to the lumbar region 29 33 – 35. The findings in these early populations differ markedly from the high incidence of cervical osteophytosis found in a modern autopsy room series of skeletons 29.…”

Section: Osteoarthritis: Paleopathologymentioning

confidence: 91%

The history of osteoarthritis-osteoarthrosis

Dequeker

Luyten

2008

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

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Section: Osteoarthritis: Paleopathologymentioning

confidence: 91%

The history of osteoarthritis-osteoarthrosis

Dequeker

Luyten

2008

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

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“…However, the presence of partially obliterated ridges and furrows was consistent with a Suchey‐Brooks Phase II designation. This phase indicates an age range of 19–34 years with a mean age of 23.4 (Brooks & Suchey, 1990). The morphology of the sternal end of the right fourth rib was consistent with İşcan Rib phase 2 (age range 20–23) (İşcan et al ., 1984).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Congenital scoliosis: possible causes and consequences in a skeleton from Nubia

Kilgore

Gerven

2010

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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“…However, there is evidence of lumbar spine damage and degeneration potentially pursuant to LBP in many examples of extinct species of Homo and other early human populations. These include Homo erectus [87], Homo heidelbergensis [88], ancient Egyptians and Nubians [89], ancient Chinese populations [90] and Ötzi the Iceman [91]. This included disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, osteophytosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lumbar spur formation, and ankylosing spondylitis all of which have the potential to cause LBP [1,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30].…”

Section: Lbp In Traditional Indigenous Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition studies of chimpanzee's, bonobo's and gorilla's show significantly lower rates of spinal degeneration of all kinds [184][185][186] with most injuries instead occurring from aggression or fall related trauma [185,187,188]. Though there is some evidence of spinal degeneration in extinct bipedal hominin species and early humans [87][88][89][90][91] systematic study of spinal degeneration in other extinct nonhominin primate species does not seem to have been conducted. The present hypothesis might predict that prevalence of lumbar spine degeneration might also be low in such species.…”

Section: Conceptualising the Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

An evolutionary hypothesis to explain the role of deconditioning in low back pain prevalence in humans

Steele¹

2017

jevohealth

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The aim of the present piece is to present an evolutionary hypothesis relating to the role of deconditioning in the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in humans. LBP is a multifactorial issue with many associated symptoms and potential causes. Prevalence is high in westernised populations and also rural and indigenous populations. Other diseases common in western populations, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are almost absent in populations devoid of western influence who follow a traditional diet and lifestyle. It therefore seems counter-intuitive that LBP should also be high in traditional populations. The hypothesis that an evolutionarily determined factor might predispose LBP across a wide range of Homo sapiens populations seems plausible to examine. Fossil data from the infra-order Anthropoidea suggest adaptations in predominant habitual locomotion styles from 1) arboreal quadruped, to 2) semi-terrestrial quadruped, to 3) biped over the past ~20 million years. These adaptations were accompanied and permitted by anatomical evolutionary changes occurring in the lumbar spine and pelvis including development from 1) a long mobile lumbar vertebral column, laterally facing pelvis and large lumbar extensors to 2) a short lumbar vertebral column, posterior location of the transverse process, lengthening of the ilia, general reduction of the lumbar extensor musculature and increase in passive rigidity through entrapment and invagination and 3) to relengthening of the vertebral column, reduction in length and broadening of the ilia and sacrum. Comparative musculature anatomy between old world monkeys and modern humans suggests the presence of relatively smaller, and potentially weaker, lumbar extensor musculature in humans. Further, hip/trunk extensor musculature of short backed primates is well developed. Anatomically modern humans therefore may bear the compromise of relatively strong hip/trunk extensors and relatively weak lumbar extensors in combination with a long flexible lumbar spine. This may contribute to disuse atrophy of the lumbar extensors which may explain the consistent association of their deconditioning in LBP, and also predispose modern humans to the high prevalence of LBP presently observed. KeywordsEvolution, Lumbar Spine, Pelvis, Erector Spinae, Multifidus, Gait ErratumThis erratum is for correcting the citation for ' An evolutionary hypothesis to explain the role of deconditioning in low back pain prevalence in humans' . The previous citation listed the following citation and article homepage

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The Palaeopathology of the Vertebral Column in Ancient Egypt and Nubia

Cited by 30 publications

References 9 publications

The history of osteoarthritis-osteoarthrosis

The history of osteoarthritis-osteoarthrosis

Congenital scoliosis: possible causes and consequences in a skeleton from Nubia

An evolutionary hypothesis to explain the role of deconditioning in low back pain prevalence in humans

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