Relationship Between Lumbar Disc Herniation and Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome Original Article

Objective: Benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS) can present with a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common cause of low back pain. On the other hand, low back pain may be a presenting symptom in patients with BJHS. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between BJHS and LDH. Materials and Methods: The study included 184 patients diagnosed with LDH. All patients were assessed for existing hypermobility using the revised (Brighton 1998) criteria.Results: The mean age of the patients was 40.9±11.6 years (range: 18-76 years); 50 (27.2%) were male and 134 (72.8%) female. The mean Beighton score was 2.04±2.2. Out of 184 cases, 123 (68.4%) had hypermobility according to the revised Brighton criteria. In addition, there was a positive correlation between LDH and BJHS (r=0.15, p=0.0018). Conclusion: We suggest that BJHS may be a risk factor for LHD. As such, BJHS may be considered a concomitant problem in patients with low back pain due to LDH. Turk J Phys Med Rehab 2011;57:85-8.