Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Ankara
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Nöroşirurji Anabilim Dalı, Ankara Lumbar spinal stenosis is a painful and potentially disabling condition often encountered in older adults. it is defined as any narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal, nerve root canal or inververtebral foramina. in the pathogenesis of lumbar spinal stenosis the degenerative process of the lumbar spine is the main component producing the compression of neural tissue in the spinal and/or nerve root canal. Successful management of lumbar spinal stenosis requires accurate recognisition of the clinical syndrome. Such recognition is complicated by the frequent coexistence of morphological lumbar spinal canal narrowing without clinical expression or by lumbar spondylosis which produces mechanical lumbar pain unrelated to the compressive effects of narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the symptoms and functional disability caused by lumbar spinal stenosis and therapy in patients over 60 years old. The functional disability was assessed with Oswestry Disability Questionnaire. The mean value of Oswesrty Disability score was 44.3±15 for men, 47.4±12 women. Back and leg pain were the most common symptoms. %48.6 of patients underwent surgery. in conclusion, lumbar spinal stenosis can cause significant disability and pain. Keywords : Lumbal spinal stenosis, Elderly, Functional disability, Oswestry, Therapy