LUMBAR RADICULOPATHY

Lumbar radiculopathy is a condition where a compressed nerve root in the spine causes pain in the lower back and hip. Pain can also radiate down into the back of the thigh and into the leg. Such compression in the spine is often caused by a repetitive load on the spine. This puts athletes involved in contact sports at a higher risk of this disorder, as well as people whose work requires heavy labor.

In most cases, radiculopathy is caused by degenerative disease of the spine and herniated disks. Other causes are scoliosis, fractures, and spinal stenosis, where the spinal canal is too narrow.

Radiculopathy is possible at any point in the spine, but it occurs most often in the lower back, where it’s referred to as lumbar or lumbosacral radiculopathy, and in the neck. In lumbar radiculopathy, the compressed nerve roots are at levels L1- S4. These nerves are responsible for sensations and motor functions in the legs, which is why symptoms of this disorder often extend from the lower back and into the legs.

Radiculopathy describes more types of sensations than pain alone, which gets categorized as radicular pain. It can present several symptoms along with radiating pain, including numbness, shooting pain, tingling, and paresthesia. Any of these occurrences in your lower back and legs might be a sign of lumbar radiculopathy, especially if you play a contact sport.