Thoracolumbar spondylosis — DVA SoP factors

Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 13 of 2023

At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting thoracolumbar spondylosis or death from thoracolumbar spondylosis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:

1. (1)
   being a prisoner of war before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
2. (2)
   having an inflammatory joint disease from the specified list of inflammatory joint diseases, in the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: specified list of inflammatory joint diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

3. (3)
   having non-viral infection of the affected joint, resulting in inflammation within that joint, at least 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
4. (4)
   having an intra-articular fracture of the spine, at the level of, or adjacent to, the affected joint, at least 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
5. (5)
   having a spinal condition from the specified list of spinal conditions, affecting the thoracolumbar spine for at least the 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: specified list of spinal conditions is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

6. (6)
   for lumbar spondylosis only, having a kyphotic abnormality or lordotic abnormality affecting the lumbar spine for at least the 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: kyphotic abnormality and lordotic abnormality are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

7. (7)
   having undergone a spinal fusion, immediately above or below the affected joint, at least 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: spinal fusion is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

8. (8)
   for lumbar spondylosis only, having leg length inequality for at least the 2 years before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: leg length inequality is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

9. (9)
   having a depositional joint disease from the specified list of depositional joint diseases, in the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

   Note: specified list of depositional joint diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

10. (10)
    having trauma to the thoracolumbar spine at least 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis, and where the trauma to the thoracolumbar spine occurred within the 20 years before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: trauma to the thoracolumbar spine is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

11. (11)
    having a penetrating injury to an intervertebral disc before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis at the level of, or adjacent to, the intervertebral disc injury;

    Note: penetrating injury to an intervertebral disc is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

12. (12)
    having a thoracolumbar intervertebral disc prolapse at least 6 months before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis at the level of the intervertebral disc prolapse;
13. (13)
    lifting loads of at least 20 kilograms while bearing the weight through the thoracolumbar spine to a cumulative total of at least 100,000 kilograms within any 10 year period before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
14. (14)
    carrying loads of at least 20 kilograms while bearing the weight through the thoracolumbar spine to a cumulative total of at least 3,800 hours within any 10 year period before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
15. (15)
    for lumbar spondylosis only, flying in an engine powered aircraft as operational aircrew, for a cumulative total of at least 1,000 hours within the 25 years before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
16. (16)
    being obese for at least 10 years before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

17. (17)
    having acromegaly involving the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: acromegaly is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

18. (18)
    having Paget's disease of bone involving the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical onset of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
19. (19)
    being a prisoner of war before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
20. (20)
    having an inflammatory joint disease from the specified list of inflammatory joint diseases, in the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: specified list of inflammatory joint diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

21. (21)
    having non-viral infection of the affected joint, resulting in inflammation within that joint, at least 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
22. (22)
    having an intra-articular fracture of the spine, at the level of, or adjacent to, the affected joint, at least 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
23. (23)
    having a spinal condition from the specified list of spinal conditions, affecting the thoracolumbar spine for at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: specified list of spinal conditions is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

24. (24)
    for lumbar spondylosis only, having a kyphotic abnormality or lordotic abnormality affecting the lumbar spine for at least the 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: kyphotic abnormality and lordotic abnormality are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

25. (25)
    having undergone a spinal fusion, immediately above or below the affected joint, at least 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: spinal fusion is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

26. (26)
    for lumbar spondylosis only, having leg length inequality for at least the 2 years before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: leg length inequality is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

27. (27)
    having a depositional joint disease from the specified list of depositional joint diseases, in the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: specified list of depositional joint diseases is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

28. (28)
    having trauma to the thoracolumbar spine at least 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis, and where the trauma to the thoracolumbar spine occurred within the 20 years before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: trauma to the thoracolumbar spine is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

29. (29)
    having a penetrating injury to an intervertebral disc before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis at the level of, or adjacent to, the intervertebral disc injury;

    Note: penetrating injury to an intervertebral disc is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

30. (30)
    having a thoracolumbar intervertebral disc prolapse at least 6 months before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis at the level of the intervertebral disc prolapse;
31. (31)
    lifting loads of at least 20 kilograms while bearing the weight through the thoracolumbar spine to a cumulative total of at least 100,000 kilograms within any 10 year period before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
32. (32)
    carrying loads of at least 20 kilograms while bearing the weight through the thoracolumbar spine to a cumulative total of at least 3,800 hours within any 10 year period before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
33. (33)
    for lumbar spondylosis only, flying in an engine powered aircraft as operational aircrew, for a cumulative total of at least 1,000 hours within the 25 years before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
34. (34)
    being obese for at least 10 years before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: being obese is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

35. (35)
    having acromegaly involving the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;

    Note: acromegaly is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.

36. (36)
    having Paget's disease of bone involving the thoracolumbar spine before the clinical worsening of thoracolumbar spondylosis;
37. (37)
    inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for thoracolumbar spondylosis;

Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(19) to 9(37) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.