Lumbar Spine
The lower back is made up of 5 vertebrae known as the 'lumbar spine'. They join the rib area (the thoracic spine) to the pelvis at the sacrum. The lumbar spine is an important area for movement and posture control and takes a load-bearing role when we lift. The lumbar muscles and ligaments that attach the bones together are very important in keeping the 'tightness' of these joints and preventing bones from moving at odd angles on each other. There are lots of very strong ligaments in the lumbar spine. Muscles attach very close to the bones and help to keep the spine stable. We always spend time teaching our patients how to make these muscles work better, to keep the lumbar spine stable and prevent recurrence of injury.
The spinal cord nerve pathway sits within the spine and spinal nerves leave the cord through an exit hole called a foramen. This foramen is made up from the joint above and the one below, and often is an area where the nerve can be irritated. The small joints adjacent to the foramen, termed 'facet joints', can also be an area where wear and tear can exist causing pain and stiffness which can limit flexibility.
Disc Prolapse
This happens when the jelly-like fluid inside the disc oozes out, perhaps after a split in the tough outer wall of the structure. A split usually happens gradually after lifting awkwardly or with lots of bending over months or years. It can suddenly 'give' with a bend or twist, again while lifting or doing an apparently simple activity. The jelly or bulge may press on a nerve which causes pain which can go into the leg - the pain known as sciatica.
The lumbar spine is also an area that can be 'pulled' or 'strained' with damage to the small facet joints, muscles or ligament also by poor lifting techniques. Any of these reasons can give rise to nerve irritation and sciatica or back pain known as lumbago.
The spine can be treated with gentle hands-on or passive techniques and pain-relieving strategies, and we like to spend a lot of time teaching you how to use your muscles to keep the spine safe and prevent re-injury after your problems begin to settle down.
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