30. Disorders of the thoracolumbar spine in adults

The centre of the skeleton is the spine, which is indispensable to our existence. In evolution, the human spine is unique. Because we walk on two feet without a stabilising tail, our spine stands vertically. Partly because of this, the spine is susceptible to many pathological disorders. This vulnerability, combined with our western lifestyle (factors related to reduced general health; obesity, lack of exercise, smoking) causes around 50 % of the adult population to have back problems with some regularity. Back complaints are one of the most frequent occurring reasons for temporal or permanent disability to work, loss of productivity and (according to research by the World Health Organisation (WHO)), cause of the greatest social costs (the ‘global burden of disease’) in the western world (higher than either cardiovascular diseases or cancer).