The Spine

The spine is made up of 5 regions – cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal.  Each region is made up of vertebrae, which support the weight of our body, and aid in transferring loads between the upper and lower parts of our bodies. The cervical spine is made up of 7 vertebrae; the thoracic spine has 12 vertebrae; the lumbar spine has 5 vertebrae; the sacral region is made up of 5 fused vertebrae; and finally the coccygeal region has 4 fused vertebrae.  All this makes up a very important structural system which we use every day and rely on to function. 

The spine has 4 normal curves to it as well, which constitute posture and can be changed due to a number of factors; disease, heredity, and other forces acting on the spine.  A change in these curves is what gives everybody their different postures.  The picture shows the curves we have in the spine.

In between each vertebra is an intervertebral disk, which provides a cushioning between each vertebra.  These disks have a function of absorbing shock and they allow the spine to bend.  These disks receive no blood supply, and it is important that they keep moving to remain healthy; i.e. sitting for a long time is not healthy for a disk, constantly changing posture or body position is vital for the health of our disks. 

Any changes in the curve of the spine, or injury to a vertebral disk, could cause back pain.  As these curves change, the way muscles work changes as well.  A variety of muscles are attached to the spine, and in a perfect posture, these muscles would function at their best.  As those curves change, and as your posture changes, the muscles start working differently; for example some muscles become tight and some muscles become weak.  All these changes can be responsible to back pain.  Changes in muscles can also affect other structures like nerves and the intervertebral disks.

As a biokineticist, we assess these spinal curvatures (i.e. your posture), and we can prescribe exercises for you to help correct these changes, and try get the muscles working to their optimal function.  As well as strengthening the “core”, these are the baby steps to a stronger body.  If the basics are not there, and spine is not at its best, then everything else is going to struggle to work efficiently and the body won’t be able to do what you want it to do!!!!