Biomechanics of Lower Back and it’s pain | GFFI Fitness

 01/06/2022
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    |   dr.neeraj_mehta
    |   21:58
Written by GFFI Team

The Spine’s Sections Are Defined by Their Vertebrae.

It is common to split spinal anatomy into four primary divisions, each with a different number of vertebrae (the spherical bones that form the backbone’s structure). Vertebrae, or vertebral bodies, are also referred to as vertebrates.

The cervical spine (neck) consists of seven cervical vertebrae (C1 to C7), with C1 at the top of the spine and C7 at the bottom of the spine. If you have a neck condition, you may have neck discomfort, as well as pain that extends down your arms to your hands and fingers.

There are 12 thoracic vertebrae (known as T1 to T12) in the thoracic spine, which are linked to the ribs and the sternum and form the upper back (breast bone). The ribs and sternum provide excellent support for this portion of the spine, making it relatively stable and less prone to injury while moving.

There are five vertebrae in the lumbar spine (L1 to L5), all of which may move and bend quite a little. Because this part of the spine carries the greatest weight and allows for the most mobility (which strains the anatomical components), this is the area that is most often connected with back pain. Leg and foot discomfort might be caused by issues with the low back.

Sacrum (bottom of the spine) is a triangular-shaped bone that acts as the spine’s base and forms a portion of the pelvis.

L5-S1 is an area of the lumbar spine that is particularly vulnerable to degeneration and back pain. Four tiny bones that protrude from the sacrum form the coccyx, or tailbone (the tailbone at the very bottom of the spine).

Spinal biomechanics in the lower back’s spinal motion segment

The lumbar spine and sacral spine meet at the L5-S1 spinal motion segment, which is also known as the lumbosacral joint. Here, the spine’s curvature shifts from forward-curving to backward-curving (backward curve). Legs and pelvis are supported by L5-S1’s ability to transmit stresses from the spine.

Because of its unique architecture and greater mechanical stress and stresses than the preceding segments, the L5-S1 motion segment is more often injured.  Traumatic injuries, degeneration, disc herniation, and/or nerve discomfort may occur because of these traits.

The L5-S1 Joint Frequently Facing Issues

L5-S1 is often susceptible to excessive biomechanical stress, resulting in additional stresses and an increased risk of injury.. There are a number of common issues, including

Discs Problem: There are issues with the discs. L5-S1 is a common location for disc herniation in the lower back. This disc has a steeper slope, which increases the risk of damage and degeneration due to increased shear forces.

Facet Joint issue: Pain in the facet joints. Wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis) may develop in the lumbosacral joint owing to its high load-bearing capacity. Inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative spondylolisthesis, may also cause facet joint discomfort.

Spondylolysis. Repetitive stress may cause spondylolysis, which is the fracture of pars interarticularis (a tiny bone fragment that connects the facet joints of the vertebral arch) in the L5 vertebra. It may happen on either side of the aisle. Pars stress response is a situation where the bone does not shatter but is strained, and this is referred to as a pars stress reaction.

Spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis occurs when the L5 pars fracture on both sides, causing the vertebra to slide across S1. Spondylolisthesis of L5 is most typically induced by repeated stress on the pars interarticularis and is most frequently observed in children and teenagers.. A fracture of the pars femoris owing to trauma is very rare.

Pain in the Sciatic Nerve and the SI Joint: The Root Causes

It might be difficult to identify the specific source of a patient’s discomfort. Back pain may be caused by nerve compression in the spine, as well as SI joint dysfunction.

Problems with the spine that may lead to sciatica

1. A disc bulge, rupture, or herniation.
2. Spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the central canal of the spine,
3. This is a condition in which the holes where nerves escape from your spine get narrowed.
4. When one of the vertebrae in the lower back slides forward, it is known as spondylolisthesis (or segmental instability).
5. A condition in which the cartilage between the facet joints at the back of the spine wears away, leading to facet arthropathy.
6. A wound or infection
7.Diseases caused by malnutrition and genetics (less common)

Potential Causes of SI Joint Dysfunction

1. Injuries to the SI joint that result from a fall, automobile accident, or childbirth are all examples of SI joint trauma.
2. Degenerative SI joint 

It is possible for both scenarios to be either acute (lasting less than a month) or chronic (lasting more than a month) (lasting a very long time).

It might take years for people with SI joint dysfunction to be diagnosed and treated for their pain, which can be debilitating.

When discomfort persists for more than a few weeks or has an effect on your everyday activities, you should consult a doctor at once.

Distinctive Therapies

Alternative and complementary medicine are terms used to describe non-medical therapies. “Alternative” doesn’t always suggest inferiority, but rather a departure from what is considered “conventional” in western medicine.

Alternate therapies for low back pain have been shown to help many people. Among the most common choices are:

Manual manipulation. Physical adjustments to the spine are made by a chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner in order to improve mobility and reduce stiffness, discomfort, or pain. It is done by using hand thrusts of variable speed and power. Some people’s low back discomfort has been relieved by manual manipulation.

Acupuncture. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine and uses sites on the body that are supposed to rectify the body’s “qi,” or life energy. Proper qi is said to alleviate pain and suffering in the body, according to Chinese medicine. For nearly an hour, tiny needles are inserted into the skin. It’s been established that acupuncture may significantly reduce pain in certain patients.
Therapeutic massage. Massage treatment for the low back helps ease the muscular spasms that cause low back discomfort. Low-back pain may be alleviated by increasing blood flow, which brings nutrients and oxygen to the area to aid recovery.

Mindful meditation: Meditation in a calm and collected manner. Meditation may help alleviate the symptoms of chronic pain, such as sadness, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Meditative treatments for pain relief encompass anything from deep breathing exercises to shifting one’s concentration away from the discomfort.

Links of Some of the research on disc degeneration related to back pain

https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk › doi › 2046-3758.64….

by M Fu · 2017 · Cited by 5 — All the vertebral motion segments (L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1) had greater changes in disc height and DASEP from neutral to flexion than from neutral …(PDF) Is L5-S1 Motion Segment Different from the Rest? A …

https://www.researchgate.net › … › Segmentation

Nov 20, 2017 — Conclusion: The L5–S1 motion segment exhibited unique degenerative and kinematic characteristics compared with the upper lumbar motion …Mild (not severe) disc degeneration is implicated in the …

https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com › ar…

by VAS Ramakrishna · 2018 · Cited by 1 — High-resolution computed tomography data of the lumbosacral spine from … to the L5–S1 motion segment to mitigate increased intervertebral …

The Effect of Spinal Fusion Versus Disc Replacement on …

https://www.foreverfitptw.com › Lower-Back › article

Fusion limits motion at the fused vertebral segments, whereas disc … The L5/S1 group gained back more of the total lumbar motion from the second level …

Range of Motion According to the Fusion Level after Lumbar …

https://www.thenerve.net › makeCookie › journal

Oct 24, 2018 — The results suggest that the lower lumbar segments (L4/5 and especially L5/S1) contribute to spinal ROM (extension and lateral flexion), …

L5-S1 Disc Bulge, Slip Disc, Stenosis & Spondylolisthesis

https://www.mychiro.com.my › articles › l5-s1

L5–S1 Spinal Segment Issues That Cause Back Pain & Leg Symptoms — The L5–S1 spinal segment is located right below the belt line. It is the last …

effect of fusion versus motion preservation at L4–L5 and L5–S1

https://www.thespinejournalonline.com › article › fulltext

by AG Patwardhan · 2021 · Cited by 9 — Motion preservation using a total joint replacement prosthesis at L4–S1 restored the lumbar spine loads and proximal segment motion to intact …

Degenerative Pathways of Lumbar Motion Segments – PLOS

https://journals.plos.org › plosone › article › journal.po…

by RK Jensen · 2016 · Cited by 3 — Degenerative Pathways of Lumbar Motion Segments – A Comparison in Two Samples of … L2/3, L3/4 L4/5 and L5/S1) within each cluster.

Survival Rates and Risk Factors for Cephalad and L5-S1 …

https://www.jkns.or.kr › journal › view

by YS Lee · 2015 — The L5–S1 segment has distinctive biomechanical motions different from other lumbar segments16,22). It is related to the function of the …

Range of Motion of the Intact Lumbar Segment – International …

https://www.ijssurgery.com › content

Jan 1, 2015 — ROM tended to increase down the vertebral column in FE. L3-4 FE ROM was significantly greater than L1-2 (p=0.024), and L4-5 and L5–S1 FE ROM …

The Relationship Between Lumbar Segmental Motion and …

https://www.jospt.org › doi › pdf › jospt.2005.35.4.203

by GJ Beneck · 2005 · Cited by 32 — motion. Results: L5 was deemed the most painful segment in nearly half of the … L5–S1. Functional Spinal Unit With the Greatest. Amount of Motion.

Spine-health – The L5-S1 motion segment has distinctive…

https://z-upload.facebook.com › SpineHealth › posts

Oct 8, 2021 — The L5–S1 motion segment has distinctive anatomy and receives a higher degree of mechanical stress and loads compared to the segments above.

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