Clinical Case #7: Natasha

Abstract

Natasha is a 42-year-old homemaker and mother of three children, ages 12, 8, and 4. She presents with an 11-month history of lower back pain. Natasha is being referred to this office by her primary care doctor. Natasha’s pain does not radiate into the legs. She denies any numbness, tingling, or burning in the legs. The legs do not feel weak. The pain is described as “sharp” and is centralized around the L5–S1 level. The pain is worse with sitting. She says that going for long car rides is “very difficult” because the pain becomes extremely intense. Standing and walking around makes the pain better. In general, she feels that the more she moves, the better she tends to feel unless she does “too much.”