According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), almost everyone will experience low back pain. There are many causes. Your spine is made up of bones called vertebrae separated by cushions, called discs. The vertebrae are attached to spinal muscles and to each other by ligaments and tendons. A … Read More
Your sciatic nerve is the main nerve supplying your leg. This large nerve leaves your spinal cord in your lower back and passes between the bones (vertebrae) of your spine. Pinching (compression) of the nerve where it passes between the spinal vertebrae is the usual cause of sciatica. Compression is … Read More
No one seems to know how the phrase “throwing your back out” originated, but almost everyone knows what it means: You’ve injured your back and it really hurts. When you yell out "threw out my back!” you’ll know the pain immediately. There will be a sharp, severe pain, usually in … Read More
A pinched nerve is a nerve under abnormal pressure—a compressed nerve. The pressure can come from adjacent bones or soft tissues such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, or cartilage. When that happens, the brain sends a signal that causes pain, weakness, or a numb feeling. But what are the most common … Read More
Back pain is normally in your lower back and may cause muscle spasms. But when is back pain serious? A back pain red-flag warning is when the pain is intense, spreads down one or both legs, causes weakness or numbness, or follows a fall or a blow to your back. … Read More
Your vertebral discs are the small, doughnut-shaped objects located between each of the vertebrae in your spine. Healthy discs provide cushioning between your vertebrae and allow for proper movement and bending of your spine. The discs also keep the openings in the vertebrae through which nerves exit the spinal canal—the … Read More
Most people—about 80 percent, according to the National Institutes of Health—will experience back pain at least once in their lives. The lower back (lumbar spine) is the most common site of soreness. And it’s an equal opportunity pain—affecting both men and women equally. It can occur suddenly, due to accident … Read More
A tear in the tough, fibrous ring surrounding the disc is a herniated disc. Some of the soft, gelatinous material inside breaks up, bulges into the spinal canal, and may or may not put pressure on a nerve. Anyone can develop a herniated disc, but older adults are especially susceptible. … Read More
Your spine is subjected to immense wear and tear over your lifetime. Fortunately, it comes with its own inbuilt shock absorption system—one that’s designed to counter the forces placed on it by the motion involved in day-to-day life, as well as physical exercise and (often improper) body mechanics. This shock … Read More
