Low back pain/radiculopathy and its impact on health care costs. Need for early assessment and treatment to avoid future disability

Burning on the bottom of the foot/feet is an early sign of lower extremity radiculopathy. The podiatrist is usually the first healthcare provider the patient will consult. Lumbo-sacral-radiculopathy causes muscle weakness of the lower extremities as a result of nerve compression at the lumbo-sacral level, and affects ones ability to walk. Exercise is an imperative part of a healthy regimen. Therefore,the public needs to be made aware of this problem early on. The information would be made available to the general public with inclusion of how to recognize signs and symptoms,and seek treatment from healthcare providers. This education combined with conservative therapy on various levels would ultimately help these people avert worsening of this condition, and prevent subsequent disability. Over twenty years in practice, I have diagnosed too many patients with radiculopathy. I have become acutely aware that as the U.S. population ages, most elderly patients need to ambulate with the assistance of canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and scooters. We tend to be a society of cars, and are in predominantly seated positions. The sitting position is very stressful on the lumbosacral spine. As a whole we do very little walking unless we are going to a gym, or incorporating it in our daily activities as exercise. This is a public health issue and needs to be remedied because not only does it affect the quality of life, but also incurs tremendous costs on the healthcare system.