The anatomy of a back pain includes muscles, joints, ligaments, and bones. The rear spinal joints are called ‘facet joints’, within the spine sit disc joints and supporting the pelvis at the back are sacroiliac joints. Spinal muscles help to stabilise the bones and include the Multifidus, the Internal Oblique and the Psoas muscles. Spinal stabiliser muscles help the brain coordinate vertebral movement reducing ‘stubbing’ of the Facet and/or the Sacroiliac Joints.

Is This Really True..?

During poor spinal movement joints get stubbed more frequently, muscles compensate, and ligaments get sprained. Back pain is so painful because joints, muscles and ligaments accumulate together the sensation of pain. The anatomy of the back is so intimate that no one structure can be solely ‘pain blamed’.

‘Poor spinal motion perpetuates itself…’

The natural strategy of the brain is to restrict and stiffen (1) the body. If we continue to poke the bruise or pick the scab one might develop ‘over healing’ in their body. You might recognise ‘over healing’ as wear and tear. Over healing is what happens when you push through it over and over. Causing the experience of increased soreness after rest. Did you know muscle imbalance can lead to degeneration? Why push through? You can’t win against yourself. Seek help at Fascia First Chiropractic, book today!

Paying too much attention to stiffness, restriction, inflammation, and discomfort can be seen as over medicalising (2). At Fascia First Chiropractic we do not wish to pay too much attention, we hope to understand. To understand regular symptoms, within an individual’s own life, can serve to reduce ‘threat’. Reduce a person’s sense of threat, and you’ll reduce their sense of suffering, improving their pain experience.

Physical changes to the body can occur steadily over time without pain (2), whilst in the case of back anatomy there is a weak correlation with disc disease and low back pain (3). The advice at Fascia First Chiropractic is to follow the Three Day Rule and…

…’Book while you Twinge’

References:

1. Glissman Nim C et al (2021) Analysis of Low Back Pain Chiropractic and Manual Therapies 29 Article Number: 34
2. Lewis JS et al (2020) The Elephant in the Room: Too Much Medicine in Musculoskeletal Practice. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 50 (1) 1-4
3. Brinjinkji W et al (2014) Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic People American Journal of Neuroradiology http://dx.doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4173
4. Brinjinkji W et al (2015) Disc Degeneration is more Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain. http://dx.doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4498