The spine is made up of three distinct areas the neck, back and lower back. These three areas all work differently. Thoracolumbar syndrome affects where the back and lower back facet joints. Where the convergence of the erector spinae muscles are at their thickest and a point where muscular back strain is very common. Mainly felt in the Lower back, yet can refer to the anterior thigh.
There are three erector spinae muscles on each side of the spine. Making 6 large back muscles that must coordinate well to enable the back to work efficiently. Which is why lower back pain and in between the shoulder blades pain and discomfort are very common. Because getting all 6 muscles to co-ordinate perfectly all the time would be like hitting the bullseye or outer ring in darts every time. From time-to-time back muscles go wrong because movement faulters. Injury is like having a distraction as you throw the dart, tending one to be further from the target and to go wrong more.
Muscular back pain is just the beginning, as poorly managed backs, can manifest over and over for years becoming more ingrained the longer it goes on for.
‘if your body can learn, you can gain relief at Fascia First Chiropractic’.
Pains and discomfort in thoracolumbar syndrome tend to affect the lower back, top of buttocks, groin and anterior thigh. Thoracolumbar syndrome can be a precursor to sacroilliac syndrome.
As muscles become dysfunctional, they gradually build up waste products causing the muscles to themselves become pain generators and can spasm even when you aren’t moving or doing anything strenuous.
Dysfunctional muscles lead to increased joint loads and poor internal joint cartilage mechanics. Joints can become fixated (stuck) or partially stuck due to how the cartilage on the inside of the joints is able to move. All movement of a joint is dependent upon the muscular forces applied on them during movement and posture. As cartilage wears muscular pressures upon the joints increases.
As the spine muscles stiffen up, they work less and less efficiently. Meaning their other job of being breathing muscles becomes poor causing the way one breathes to change, stressing postural form.
The stretch below is useful for the thoracolumbar syndrome.
