Roentgenograms of the lumbar spine from 238 patients with lower back pain (LBP) with sciatica were compared with roentgenograms from 66 patients without LBP. No difference between the two groups could be demonstrated concerning the incidence of spondylosis and disc degeneration. Cases with wedge-shaped vertebral bodies are significantly more frequent in patients younger than 40 years old in the group having pain. The incidence of spondylosis and disc degeneration increase with increasing age.