Background/Purpose:

Previously we investigated the lack of a lordotic curve in the cervical spine seen on lateral view x-rays in patients with fibromyalgia compared with patients without fibromyalgia. One hypothesis is that the muscle pressure is increased in fibromyalgia, and that this can lead to straightening of the neck. We evaluated these changes in the lumbar spine.

Methods:

Patients with and without fibromyalgia who had x-rays of the lumbar spine had a measurement of the Cobb angle between the top of L1 to the bottom of L4 and the top of L1 to the bottom of L5.

Results:

There were 61 patients (55 females and 6 males), in the fibromyalgia syndrome group, and 19 (11 females and 8 males), a in the non-fibromyalgia rheumatic disease patient group. The mean age of the fibromyalgia patients was 47.90 years for females and 44.66 years for males. The mean age of the patients with other rheumatic disease was 60.72 years for females and 46.62 years for males. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients met the 2010 ACR criteria for the diagnosis.

Conclusion:

Fibromyalgia patients have a straight lumbar spine when compared to controls without fibromyalgia.

A straight lumbar spine, in addition to a straight cervical spine, which has previously been reported, suggests increased muscle tension in fibromyalgia patients.

Elevated muscle pressure may be the cause of pain in patients with fibromyalgia, and clinicians can use the straight cervical spine and straight lumbar spine as additional support for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

A straight lumbar spine may also be a window into the etiology of fibromyalgia.