Lumbosacral radiculopathy is one of the most common disorders evaluated by neurologists and is a leading referral diagnosis for the performance of electromyography. Although precise epidemiologic data are difficult to establish, the prevalence of lumbosacral radiculopathy is approximately 3% to 5%, distributed equally in men and women. Degenerative spondyloarthropathies are the principal underlying cause of these clinical syndromes and are increasingly commonplace with age. Men are most likely to develop symptoms in their 40s, whereas women are affected most commonly between ages 50 and 60. The clinical presentation and initial management of lumbosacral radiculopathies of various etiologies are discussed.

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a new technique with potential for the noninvasive bedside assessment of myopathy. EIM was performed on the quadriceps of 10 patients with inflammatory myopathy and 10 normal subjects. The major EIM parameter, the spatially averaged phase, was 35% lower in the myositis patients and correlated with whole-body (r = 0.765, p = 0.01) and quadriceps (r = 0.673, p = 0.03) strength.

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