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The Spine
Nearly 12 million visits are made to physician offices each year because of back problems. Eight out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Low back pain is one of the most frequent problems treated by orthopaedic surgeons. What is the lower back?Your lower back is a complex structure of vertebrae, disks, spinal cord, and nerves, including:
Facts about the spine: The vertebral column, also called the backbone, is made up of 33 vertebrae that are separated by spongy disks and classified into four distinct areas. The cervical area consists of seven bony parts in the neck; the thoracic spine consists of 12 bony parts in the back area; the lumbar spine consists of five bony segments in the lower back area; five sacral* bones; and four coccygeal* bones.
(* By adulthood, the 5 sacral vertebrae fuse to form one bone, and the 4 coccygeal vertebrae fuse to form one bone.)
How does the spine work?The lower or lumbar spine is a complex structure that connects your upper body (including your chest and arms) to your lower body (including your pelvis and legs). This important part of your spine provides you with both mobility and strength. The mobility allows movements such as turning, twisting or bending; and the strength allows you to stand, walk and lift. Proper functioning of your lower back is needed for almost all activities of daily living. Pain in the lower back can restrict your activity, reduce your work capacity and diminish your quality of life.
What are the common causes?Low back pain can be caused by a number of factors:
The muscles of the low back provide power and strength for activities such as standing, walking and lifting. A strain of the muscle can occur when the muscle is poorly conditioned or overworked. The ligaments of the low back act to interconnect the five vertebral bones and provide support or stability for the low back. A sprain of the low back can occur when a sudden, forceful movement injures a ligament which has become stiff or weak through poor conditioning or overuse.
PreventionBack pain caused by lifting can be prevented if you use proper lifting techniques and exercise regularly to improve your muscle strength and overall physical condition. The normal effects of aging that result in decreased bone mass, and decreased strength and elasticity of muscles and ligaments, can't be avoided. However, the effects can be slowed by:
Staying in shapeYou can reduce the risk of back pain if you stay in good physical shape. Recreational activities such as swimming, bike riding, running or walking briskly will keep you in good physical condition. There also are specific exercises that are directed toward strengthening and stretching your back, stomach, hip and thigh muscles as well as exercises to decrease the strain on your lower back. Consult your physician about a proper exercise program.
Normal Female Fertility
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five bones called lumbar vertebrae - stacked one upon the other, connecting the upper spine to the pelvis
