Whether it is neck or lower back, we are talking about one long structure called spine. Spine is consists of bone called vertebrae, spinal cord, disc and nerve root. There's more to the spine than just those three, but to keep the conversation simple, let's just focus on those characters.
Spine Curvature
Spine has its unique curvature. In a cervical or neck region, we have lordosis, thoracic or mid-back is kyphosis, and lumbar or lower back is lordosis. Lordosis is a curvature that curves towards the front of the body and kyphosis is to the back. These curvatures are important since it distributes the weight and gravity. Without these curvature our body will be crushed and not able to stable our body. Of course, these curvatures can be an issue when the degree of curve become abnormal but we'll discuss that later.
Spine Structure
Unit of spine is consists of two vertebrae and disc and it is organized just like sandwich. Throughout the spine, we have multiple sets of these starting from inside of your skull down to tail bone area. Disc is gel-like texture that can carry load down the spine and allows the vertebrae to flex or extend. By having multiple sets of these we are able to flex and extend our spine, however, when bend too far and too often disc will eventually crack and then break.
Between each vertebrae, there is a space where nerve root can come out and reach towards where they are needed to. So when you have bulging disc around in your neck area, bulged disc add pressure to the nerve root, which cause interference and may numb or create tingling sensation down towards your arm.
Core Muscles
When you have any back or neck issue, you will be advised to strength our core muscles. What is core muscles anyway? Majority of times, we are encouraged to strengthen our abdomen. Abdomen is consists of 4 different muscle group, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique. However, that is not the only muscles that help the movement and stabilization of the spine.
There are other muscles such as erector spinae, and quadrates lumborum to stabilize the lumbar or lower back region. Then, there are iliocostalis and latissimus dorsi to brace thoracic and lumbar region. Trapezius is another muscle that supports spine in cervical region.
In another words, core muscles are any muscles that supports mobility and stability or spine. When these muscles are weak or generally imbalance, we will see condition like scoliosis, lower back and neck pain, or excess lordosis or kyphosis in any spinal regions.
Spinal Injury Mechanism
When core muscles get weak nor not able to stiffen, stability of the vertebrae and disc become unstable while lifting object or even just sitting at work. There are three types of spine damage.
First is due to excessive spine bending. Best example is bending over to lift and object. With improper lifting mechanism, disc is usually pushed out towards back side of the spine. After awhile, the disc become bulged and cause irritation when standing back up.
Second is due to excessive loading where spine is flattened. You may have seen heavily lifters performing heavy squat. If you are trained properly, muscles surrounding the spine is able to stiffen properly to protect the disc. However, when not train properly the load on the shoulder will be transferred directly to the disc. Disc has something called nucleus which is gel-like substance to support the disc, but with improper training and performing the squat can flatten the disc to the point the nucleus gets ruptured.
Third is due to repetitive twisting. This injury can be seen in baseball player or golfer where they generally use one plane of movement, which cause disc tear.
7 Spine Myths
Just like any injury, spinal injury does take time to heal provided that the treatment process is based off of "cause" and not just "symptom".
Strength training, bodybuilding, yoga, pilates programs is not solution for spinal injury if the practitioner does not understand the cause. May relieve symptom temporally, but issue will come back for not addressing the cause.
You don't inherit spinal issues. You may have mimic how your parents sit, walk or stand but that is not hereditary. This is same with obesity.
You should not lay in bed of excessive amount of time though doctors may advice to do so after spine injury, because it can cause more spinal issues. In fact, it is better for the spine to use walking as treatment.
Pain medication can help ease pain but will not remove the cause. Pain management is not dealing with the cause but the symptom.
Cracking the spine is not always the good thing. Depending on how the spine was stressed, how you treat the condition will be different. Crack and pop is not always the answer.
According to Lower Back Jedi Master, Dr. Stuart McGill over 90% of lower back surgery is not necessary case. With proper examination and application of exercise, spine and disc condition can be improved and strengthened.
Kota Shimada
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