Spondylolysis and Lower Back Pain

Spondylolysis is one of many conditions that chiropractic practices have to deal with. The condition occurs due to a weakness in the section of the vertebrae that is known as pas interaticularis. This is a thin piece of bone that is responsible for connecting the lower and upper portion of the facet joints. These join in the vertebrae’s upper and lower section to form a comprehensive network of bone that allows the spine to move.

The defect can lead to small fractures in the spine that cause certain vertebrae to slip out of place.

Some chiropractic practices say that Spondylolysis is a hereditary disease especially considering infants who are born with a thin vertebrae, a condition that puts them at a higher risk for fractures. Repetitive trauma to the lower back may also cause the pars interarticularis to weaken over time.

Symptoms

Those who have spondylolysis do not experience any symptoms and which is exactly why they might not be aware of it once it does occur. Low back pain is the most common symptom once the pain from the condition spreads. It feels like a muscle in the lower back has been sprained and usually gets worse with exercise or activity. It can also occur during a teenager’s growth spurt after puberty which is why the typical age of a person who acquires the condition is usually between 15 to 16 years.

The condition usually occurs in 3 to 4% of the population and is the most common cause of lower back pain in children or people below the age of 26. Spondylolysis is more common in kids or teenagers who take part in vigorous activities that over extend their spines such as weightlifting, gymnastics and football.

Treatment

The condition calls for a more conservative approach. Chiropractic care of Spondylolysis would aim to reduce the pain, let the fracture heal and help return the patient to normal activities. Patients are also advised to refrain from any vigorous physical activities such as exercise or sports to help them heal faster. Treatments for severe cases often involve the use of a back brace or support which helps stabilize the back and prevent lower back pain to aid the healing process.

The condition might not be preventable in some cases however certain steps can be taken to reduce the risk of fractures in the lower back.

Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: Spinal column curvature 2011.png

Understanding Ergonomics – How Seat Design Plays a Vital Role

It is estimated that at least 50% individuals in the industrialized world suffer from some kind of back problem, most notably due to a poor or inadequate seat design. How we sit all day in front of our workstations has a marked impact on the overall health of our spine. As a result of bad posture, the lumbar region in the back bone is what takes the most pounding. Here’s what you need to know, and many chiropractors will stand by it.

There is no universal seat that’s designed to accommodate every single person. But there are a number or ergonomic factors that come into play when we’re talking seat design. These generally work well for the average person.

Seat height should be set in a way so as to support a knee angle of 90 degrees. This takes undue stress off the thighs and buttocks. A chair that’s too high will increase the pressure at the underside of the knees, reducing blood flow and increasing unnecessary pressure on the nerve.

A chair that’s too low places pressure on the ischial tuberosities – this is where the upper thigh originates in the gluteus maximus region. Normally, the glutes cover them in the upright position, but they are exposed and at an ergonomic disadvantage when we’re sitting.

Optimal seat depth is recommended at 16.5”; between 14” and 18.5” for adjustable seats.

You should avoid hard seats. Seat pan contouring and cushioning should be designed in a way so that pressure is distributed over a larger area and the pelvis rotates forward – this encourages better posture.

Ideal seat cushioning is about 2” thick. The cushioning needs to be firmer and thicker in the back, while being less firm and thinner at the front. Too much cushioning and your body is going to sink into the chair, restricting movement. A soft chair may be very welcoming and comfortable at first, but it goes against basic ergonomic sense; as the body sinks, blood flow is reduced and skin temperature rises as you experience more compression under the thighs. At the end of the day – more discomfort.

A seat width that’s between 20” and 23” generally works well.

An ideal seat angle helps you maintain good contact with the backrest; a 5 to 10 degree angle is good.

There many more ergonomic factors related to optimal seating, and these are just some of them at a glance. A good chiropractor can help you determine exactly what type of chair best suits your body type.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: FreedomChair.jpg

Causes of Back Pain

Back pain may occur due to various reasons; be it a sports injury, pulling a heavy object or a fall/ injury to the spine. If you are suffering from back pain, it would be wise to have a look at some of the common risk factors and causes of back pain by consulting a Chiropractor.

Risk Factors

The risk of back pain varies in different individuals, depending on their lifestyle. People who work in a mentally stressful job, smoke or go through strenuous physical work are more susceptible to back pain than those who don’t. Other factors such as pregnancy, anxiety, depression and obesity can also lead to this condition. Age is also a factor, as older individuals are at a higher risk than younger ones.

Causes Of Back Pain

Strain

The most common cause of back pain is strained muscles and ligaments, which may be a result of lifting something heavy or a sudden awkward movement. It can also be caused by improper posture due to a bad mattress or sitting position.

Structural Problems

The human body is a complex structure composed of bones, muscle, ligaments and joints. A fault in any of these can cause numerous problems, including back pain. Some particular structural problems that may affect the back are as follows:

Arthritis

Arthritis can cause various joint problems in the hips and lower back.

Bulging And Ruptured Disks

The vertebra in our spine is cushioned by a disk, so a ruptured disk would result in more pressure on the nerves, resulting in back aches. A bulging disk would put even more pressure on the nerves.

Sciatica

A bulging disk can also press on a nerve in the spine, causing a shooting pain through the buttocks and down the legs.

Curvature Of The Spine

An unnatural curvature of the spine can cause the space around the spinal cord to narrow, causing back pains.

Osteoporosis

A vertebra fracture can be caused by the bones becoming more brittle.

Conditions, There are also some conditions which may cause back pains.

Spinal Cancer

A growth or tumor on the spine may press against a nerve.

Infections

Infection on the nerves (shingles) and spine may also cause pains.

Cauda Equine Syndrome

The growth of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord can cause a dull pain, as well as lack of feeling in the upper buttocks.

Las Vegas Chiropractor describes intermediate neck exercise

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no exercise equipment.
It works the longus capitis, longus colli, SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase neck strength and muscular endurance.
The benefits are improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin by lying on the back with the head extended off the table, maintaining a chin tuck position.
Slowly extend the head back towards the floor and then raise the head, returning to the initial neutral starting position and repeat as instructed.
Move slowly through the range of motion.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

How I Became A Chiropractor

My name is Dr. Joshua K. Purcell. I am a chiropractor in Las Vegas, NV. I work at Active Life Health & Wellness. I would like to share my own personal experience with chiropractic. Several years ago I was deciding what I want to do with my life. I looked into many different health care fields. I ended up choosing chiropractic. I really loved the idea of being able to help people with neck pain, back pain, sciatica, disc problems, arm and leg pain, headaches, etc. without having to use drugs and surgery. So I decided that was what I was going to do. My wife was pregnant with our first child at the time. We moved to St. Louis, MO, where I was going to attend Logan College of Chiropractic. It was Christmas time and school was starting in January. My daughter was a couple of months old at this time. I was sitting on the floor wrapping a gift. I leaned over to grab the scissors and it felt like someone stabbed me in the lower back. It was a sharp, stabbing, shooting pain in my back that took my breath away. I could hardly move. I had to use the entertainment center to pull myself up. I didn’t know what just happened to me. I has always thought that I was healthy and didn’t have any problems. I had been doing lots of activities such as playing racquetball and riding my bike. I couldn’t stand straight, I was in severe pain. I started seeing the chiropractors at my school. They started adjusting my spine and it would feel better for awhile, but just come back. This process went on for several months and was progressively getting worse and worse. Finally the school doctors said that I needed to get a MRI and see a Neurosurgeon, that I may need surgery. I started going into deep depression and was feeling like chiropractic was failing me. I just dedicated my life to this type of health care and it wasn’t working for me!

Finally, I met another student that had been watching me hobble around for months and he told me that I should check out his chiropractor. He felt that this new approach that he used was something that could really help me. I was willing to try anything at this point, I knew that surgery wasn’t going to be an option. This new doctor took some x-rays of my neck. I didn’t understand why, my neck wasn’t hurting, it was my low back. He looked at the x-rays of my neck and pointed to my top two bones and said that’s where my problem was. He started to fix my neck and my health began to return. It was absolutely amazing. I started to get better and start to get my life back. What I learned through this process has truly helped me with taking care of my patients. I learned that just because someone hurts in one place, doesn’t mean that is where the problem is. In fact we have been able to help many people where other chiropractic systems have failed. The best part of this entire experience was I was able to pick up and hold my beautiful little girl again. I was able to have my faith restored that chiropractic really works!

I have had the opportunity to have helped people all over the Las Vegas area get their health back. We have implemented the latest, state of the art therapy in our clinic. We are often able to help people return to optimum health in a relatively short period of time, with the least amount of expense. We have helped people with disc problems, headaches, numbness and tingling in their arms and legs, sciatica, neck pain, back pain, digestive problems, sleep problems, fibromyalgia, asthma and wheezing, etc.