Essential Guide to the Spine

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Essential Guide to the Spine

• Anatomy
• The spine consists of a column of bones
  (vertebrae) rising from the rear of the pelvis
  and forms the main scaffolding to support the
  trunk, skull and upper limbs.

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Essential Guide to the Spine

• Anatomy
• The spine provides attachment for our ribs,
  muscles and ligaments which make up the trunk.
• It is divided into 3 regions
• Neck (cervical) 7
  vertebrae
• Thoracic 12
  vertebrae
• Lumbar 5
  vertebrae

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Essential Guide to the Spine

• Anatomy
• The vertebra consists of a squat cylindrical
  portion of bone at the front, which forms the
  main load bearing column.
• To the rear there are 3 bony processes which
  allow muscle, ligaments and ribs to attach.
• Each vertebra joins to its neighbour by 2
  interlocking pegs called the facet joints.
• This structure makes the column stable

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Essential Guide to the Spine

• Anatomy
• The vertebral discs are situated between the
  vertebral bodies and act as shock absorbers,
  cushioning the stress of movement, impact and
  load which the spine is subjected to hundreds of
  times a day.

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Essential Guide to the Spine

• Anatomy
• The outer part of the disc is made up of layers
  of a fibrous gristly material which is very
  firmly attached to the vertebral bodies above and
  below.
• The softer centre (nucleus) is more fluid - like
  toothpaste.
• Ageing causes fluid loss from the nucleus in late
  middle age and the disc will slowly become almost
  uniformly gristly and slightly thinner.

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Slipped Disc

• This is a misleading term giving rise to the
  belief that the disc is like an unstable packing
  piece and can be pushed back into place.
• A slipped disc is a bulge of the disc usually
  caused by increased pressure (bending) or even a
  split of the gristle layer allowing the nucleus
  to protrude through.

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Slipped Disc

• This trauma causes both mechanical and chemical
  irritation to the highly sensitive structures in
  the area.
• Dependant on the level of the disc affected and
  the severity of the damage pain/numbness/pins
  and needles/weakness can be experienced in the
  back, buttock, groin, leg or foot.

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Common Back Problems

• Muscle sprain
• Overuse syndrome
• Ligament sprain
• Over exertion - lifting too much weight
• Incorrect lifting - bending the back!
• Bad posture - slumping in soft chairs

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Self Help - Acute Stage

• Bed rest is not recommended.
• Take painkillers as your doctor has prescribed.
• Stay as active as you can and try to continue
  with some normal daily activities.
• Do not stay in one position or do any one thing
  for more than 30 minutes without a break.

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Self Help - Acute Stage

• Try to slowly increase your physical activity
  every day.
• Heat or cold may give some relief. A bag of
  frozen peas wrapped in a towel for 5-10 minutes
  at a time or a hot water bottle or bath for 10
  minutes at a time.

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Self Help - After Acute Stage

• Increase your exercise slowly and steadily until
  you get back to normal
• Use heat or ice to ease any spasm or pain
• Seek professional help if you are not getting any
  better
• Stay positive
• Maintain a level of daily exercise to stay fit