Acute Low Back Pain: Risk Factors for an Important Structural Cause
| History |
| Pain worse at rest or at night |
| Prior history of cancer |
| History of chronic infection (especially lung, urinary tract, skin) |
| History of trauma |
| Incontinence |
| Age >70 years |
| Intravenous drug use |
| Glucocorticoid use |
| History of a rapidly progressive neurologic deficit |
| Examination |
| Unexplained fever |
| Unexplained weight loss |
| Percussion tenderness over the spine |
| Abdominal, rectal, or pelvic mass |
| Internal/external rotation of the leg at the hip; heel percussion sign |
| Straight leg- or reverse straight leg-raising signs |
| Progressive focal neurologic deficit |