Lordosis - lumbar

Lordosis is the inward curve of the lumbar spine (just above the buttocks). A small degree of lordosis is normal. Too much curving is called swayback.

Causes

Lordosis tends to make the buttocks appear more prominent. Children with hyperlordosis will have a large space underneath the lower back when lying face up on a hard surface.

Some children have marked lordosis that most often fixes itself as the child grows. This is called benign juvenile lordosis.

Spondylolisthesis may cause lordosis. In this condition, a bone (vertebra) in the spine slips out of the proper position onto the bone below it. You may be born with this. It can develop after certain sports activities, such as gymnastics. It may develop along with arthritis in the spine.

Much less common causes in children include:

• Achondroplasia, a disorder of bone growth that causes the most common type of dwarfism

  Achondroplasia

  Achondroplasia is a disorder of bone growth that causes the most common type of dwarfism.

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• Muscular dystrophy

  Muscular dystrophy

  Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a group of inherited disorders that cause muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue, which get worse over time.

  

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• Other genetic conditions

Home Care

Most of the time, lordosis is not treated if the back is flexible. It is not likely to progress or cause problems.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your health care provider if you notice that your child has an exaggerated posture or a curve in the back. Your provider must check to see if there is a medical problem.

What to Expect at Your Office Visit

The provider will do a physical exam. To examine the spine, your child may have to bend forward, to the side, and to lie flat on a table. If the lordotic curve is flexible (when the child bends forward the curve reverses itself), it is generally not a concern. If the curve does not move, medical evaluation and treatment are needed.

Other tests may be needed, particularly if the curve seems "fixed" (not bendable). These may include:

• Lumbosacral spine x-ray

  Lumbosacral spine x-ray

  A lumbosacral spine x-ray is a picture of the small bones (vertebrae) in the lower part of the spine. This area includes the lumbar region and the s...

  

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• Other tests to rule out disorders that could be causing the condition
• MRI of the spine

  MRI of the spine

  A lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan uses energy from strong magnets to create pictures of the lower part of the spine (lumbar spine). An M...

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• Laboratory tests