Secretary back syndrome.

Secretary Back Syndrome, the title appropriate and descriptive, the concept original and useful, describes an intermittent, recurrent, symmetrical low-back pain induced by swivel-chair exposure. The swivel chair, by its very mechanical nature, frequently invites poor posture, causing a symmetrical, recurrent, lumbo-sacral strain. Swivel-chair exposure, transiency and recurrence of low-back pain, i.e. weekend and vacation recovery, physical finding of symmetrical low-back tenderness and spasm, and relatively unremarkable X-ray findings, all serve to support the above stated syndrome. The treatment requires abstinence of swivel-chair exposure, an obvious, to-date, hidden occupational hazard, and a switch to the time-honored stationary chair in order to affect a total and permanent recovery. Secretary Back Syndrome is a valuable diagnostic concept if appropriately suspected and included in the differential diagnosis and treatment of low-back pain.