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Dealing with Low Back Pain
By: Dr. Jason Tarno, Sports Medicine

Q: Many athletes suffer from low back pain at some time in their career. Can you comment on this?

A: Yes. The back is made up of many different muscle groups that act to stabilize the torso and pelvis. Because humans walk on two legs, we place a lot of strain on this area.

Q: Can you comment on the different segments of the spine?

A: Yes. There are 25 separate bones, called vertebrae, which make up the spine. The cervical spine (neck region) consists of seven vertebrae. The thoracic spine (mid back) consists of twelve vertebrae. The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, and then there is the sacrum, which is the bottom of the spine.

Q: How are the different areas of the spine classified? In other words, why are there seven cervical, twelve thoracic, and five lumbar?

A: When early anatomists labeled the different aspects of the spine, they looked for ways to classify the actual bones. The seven vertebrae of the cervical spine resemble each other in the way they are formed. There are also distinctions between how the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae look with respect to one another. It may be difficult to tell the difference between the first and second thoracic vertebrae, however, it would be easy to distinguish between the first thoracic vertebrae and the first lumbar vertebrae.

Q: What makes the lumbar vertebrae different than vertebrae from the thoracic or cervical spine?

A: The lumbar vertebrae are larger because they have to absorb more of the bodies weight. Also the facets are arranged differently than the facets of the thoracic spine.

Q: What are facets?

A: Facets are the areas between each vertebrae that allow motion. They basically act as a joint between the individual bones. The facets in the lumbar spine allow for forward and backward bending at the lumbar spine. The facets the thoracic spine are in a different plane and allow for more rotation of the spine.

Q: Can you comment on the discs in the back?

A: Yes. The intervertebral discs are fluid filled fibro-elastic structures between each vertebral body. They act as shock absorbers in the spine. As we age, some of the fluid content is lost, and often the discs become narrow. This increases the risk of arthritis in the spine, and is termed degenerative disc disease (DDD).

Q: How does lifting affect the back?

A: As mentioned, the facets of the lumbar spine allow for forward and backward bending. Normally there is a slight anterior curve to the lumbar spine (called lordosis) when a person is standing upright. If someone bends forward while lifting an object, this straightens out the curve of the spine, and can potentially strain the muscles of the low back. With heavy lifting it is important to try and keep the low back or lumbar spine straight so that muscles are not strained.

Q: What can be done if some strains their back?

A: The first course of action is rest. Moist heat can be helpful as well as anti-inflammatories. Often physical therapy can aid in strengthening the muscles of the low back. Posture is usually stressed during these sessions as well. Osteopathic manipulation can also aid in speeding up the recovery of a back strain.

Q: How long does a typical back strain bother someone?

A: At times a back strain can affect a person for days to weeks. The good news is that most back strains resolve with time. A study in the November issue of the New England Journal of Medicine stated that Osteopathic manipulation dramatically decreased the amount of time that a person suffered from a back strain.

Dr. Jason Tarno, Sports Medicine
Jason M. Tarno, D.O. is Board Certified in Sports Medicine. He has opened a new Sports Medicine Clinic, and can be reached at: (702) 433-4070.
http://www.sportsmednevada.com/