HOW TO TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR BACK ?

INTRO

Throughout our evolution, and particularly during the transition from the four-legged position to the standing position, the spine had to adapt to carry a greater load and face greater mechanical constraints.

The spine supports the entire skeleton, especially the skull, shoulders and thorax. It is a structure that holds and protects the spinal cord.

It is therefore understandable that this structure is easily painful when overloaded or overused.

Back pain is considered to be the “disease of the century”. Indeed, it is considered to be very common, as almost 80% of the adult population has, had or will have back pain in their lifetime.

BACK TO BASICS : ANATOMY

The spine is composed of 24 vertebrae divided into three zones (excluding the sacrum and coccyx):

• Cervical spine: composed of 7 vertebrae
• Dorsal spine: composed of 12 vertebrae
• Lumbar spine: composed of 5 vertebrae

The spine presents, in profile, 3 natural curvatures:

• Cervical lordosis
• Dorsal kyphosis
• Lumbar lordosis

There are 23 intervertebral discs at the level of the spine (excluding the sacrum & coccyx). They play the role of ligament but also of shock absorber. It allows the spine to be mobile !

There is no intervertebral disc between the occiput and the first cervical vertebra (C1 or Atlas) or between the second cervical vertebra (C2 or Axis).

BACK PAIN : WHICH FACTORS?

Most of back pain occurs in the lumbar spine: this is known as lumbago. It is followed by pain in the cervical spine (cervicalgia) and mid back pain (dorsalgia).

It is important to know that there are many different factors involved. However, in the majority of cases, the predisposing factor (i.e. the factor that triggers back pain) is a set of habits or a lifestyle involving incorrect postures causing overload or overuse of one or more structures of the spine.

BACK PAIN : HOW TO PREVENT IT ?

In order to take care of your spine on a daily basis, you must pay attention to your posture and positioning when you are :

• Standing & walking
• Using phone & tablets
• Sitting while working
• Lifting & carrying
• Sleeping
• Driving

Article by @corfmatchiro