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Chiropractic Care For Back Pain Relief in Escondido

We unfortunately do many things on a daily basis that would make our chiropractors cringe. We sit poorly at our computers, we walk with bad posture, the list could continue for quite some time. One of the most common spinal no no's that we are all guilty of, is spinal flexion. Spinal flexion refers to the act of bending forward. Not only is it bending forward, but it's doing so to the point that the spine is under a mass amount of stress and tension. Doing this repeatedly can cause a plethora of issues in the back and spine. Because this is done so often, many people are unaware of the harm they are doing to not only their back and spine, but to their overall health, before it's too late. In addition to affecting your appearance, spinal flexion can contribute to postural imbalances such as kyphosis and scoliosis. If your spine is constantly in flexion, it may set you up for a herniated disc, or worse.

Lower back flexion presents a number of risks when done improperly. Our spine is composed of twenty-four mobile vertebrae. The cervical spine includes the top seven vertebrae, while the thoracic spine is made up of the middle twelve, and the lumbar spine has five. Below the last lumbar vertebrae are the sacrum and coccyx. The sacrum is a triangular shaped bone that is actually the fused remnant of five sacral segments. The coccyx, also known as our “tailbone,” is an even smaller triangular bone that sits below the sacrum and ends at the buttocks.

Both the cervical and lumbar spines take on a curve that is known as a lordosis. The lordosis is structured in a way that sees the cervical and lumbar curves' concave sides face the front of the body; while our thoracic curve's concave side faces the back of our body.

In-between each vertebra is an intervertebral disc. The basic functions of the discs are to act as vertebral shock absorbers and as spacers for the spinal nerves to exit the bony vertebral column. Without these spacers, the bones would rub and the pain would be next to unbearable. Our spinal cord runs down the inside of our vertebrae; each spinal nerve that divides from the spinal cord supplies a particular part of the body with neurological function. This is the primary reason people herniate or bulge a disc. Intervertebral discs are round in shape with thick outer borders and jelly-like contents within the border. Each time we bend forward at the low back, the back side of the disc weakens. Over time, with excessive lumbar spinal loading or flexion, the disc develops microtears.

The dangers of “over bending” or spinal flexion, especially with heavy weight, or for elongated periods of time, can cause immense stress and misalignment for the spine. Proper lifting, stretching and bending techniques must be used at all times to help avoid this. Regular chiropractic check ups will also help keep the spine in proper alignment.

 

Consult your primary care physician or chiropractor for any medical related advice.

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