Aurora Co Chiropractic
How your back works and why it hurts
How your back works and why it hurts
Your back has an important job. It supports your head and torso, enables you to bend, twist and stretch and provides protection for your spinal cord. In order to perform all these tasks, your back is made of a complex maze of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, each being susceptible to pain and injury. When your vertebrae are out of alignment, because of injury, muscle tension, muscle spasms or loose, weak muscles, you experience pain.
Vertebrae
Your spine comprises 33 bones called vertebrae. Vertebrae contain canals for nerves, intricate joints and are attached to muscles and ligaments. Because your vertebrae are not all the same and have different functions, theyre defined in the following three segments.
1.Cervical vertebrae in your neck are smaller and more delicate, so you can move your head freely, in a number of directions.
2.Thoracic vertebrae connect with your ribs and provide some flexibility.
3.Lumbar vertebrae, located where your lower back curves, do heavy lifting, providing support for the body and important mobility. Because they carry the bulk of the weight and have a major role in bending at the waist, theyre most prone to pain and injury.
The sacrum and coccyx are actually fused vertebrae. The sacrum is the larger, shield-shaped bone that supports the lumber vertebrae and protects the pelvic area. And your coccyx, a reminder of our very early ancestors, is a tail.
Disks
Its likely you have heard the terms ruptured disc and herniated disk. Disks are fluid-filled sacs that fit between each of your vertebra, serving as shock absorbers, holding your vertebrae together and making it easier to move. Sometimes disks slip out of position or rupture. This causes pain, particularly if it presses on a nerve.
Spinal Cord/Nerves
Made of nerve fibers, the spinal cord has the critical job of sending messages to and from the brain and the rest of your body. Sometimes these nerve fibers become irritated because of conditions such as a herniated disk, misaligned disk, injury or degeneration of the vertebrae. When this happens you may well feel symptoms like pain, headache, tingling, numbness or weakness. Your chiropractor has a number of techniques for relieving these symptoms.
Is a backpack harming your child?
You have probably picked up your childs backpack and wondered if it was full of rocks. What you may not know, however, is that a heavy backpack can be harmful to your child.
Almost 6,500 kids are taken to the emergency room each year because of backpack-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. And emergency room physicians are seeing more than just back pain caused by heavy backpacks. Injuries are almost as common in the knee, leg, ankle, shoulder, wrist, elbow, hand, head and neck.
Following are ways you can make your childs backpack less of a burden on his or her body.
The weight of the backpack should be no more than 10 percent to 15 percent of your childs weight.
Remind your child to always use both straps.
Select a backpack with a waist belt or frame that places the weight of the pack on your childs pelvis, rather than the shoulders.
Tighten the straps so the pack is held close to the body.
Make sure the straps and the side of the backpack that rests against the childs back are well padded.
Pack heavy items at the bottom of the pack and balance the load as much as possible.
Choose a backpack with wheels for pulling.
7 ways to avoid back pain
1.Maintain good posture when sitting or standing.
2.Watch your weight; excess weight places additional strain on your back.
3.Warm up before doing physical work or exercise.
4.Stay active and follow a regular pattern of exercise to keep your muscles and joints flexible.
5.When lifting, bend at your knees, hold the object close to your body and lift from your legs.
6.Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which can strain your neck and back.
7.If work you to spend long periods of time in a chair, talk with your DC about the best ergonomic options.
by: Jennifer Jones
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