Anatomy of the Back - Muscles

Spine Anatomy - Abdominal Muscles

The abdominal muscles are paramount of importance when discussing low back health. Weakness in these muscles correlates directly with low back pain. Without good abdominal strength, the lumbar spine does not have the stability it needs to combat forces of every day movement. The abdominal muscles are also called 'the core' muscles. Having a strong core can protect from lumbar spine injury and ultimately keep your back healthier and you happier!

Abdominal muscles provide various roles: movement and support to the trunk, assist in breathing, postural support and define the form of each individuals body shape.

The abdominal muscle group extend from various places on the ribs to various places on the pelvis. The muscle closest to the surface is Rectus Abdominis or the muscle that makes up the six pack ab look in very fit individuals.

Below or deeper to the rectus abdominus is the external obliques followed by the internal obliques. The external and internal obliques are pairs of ab muscles that are located on either side of the torso. They are very important for body posture and involved in, rotation and side bend of the spine.

The Deepest abdominal muscle is the transverse abdominal muscle. It has a tremendous effect on body posture when properly conditioned by providing stability to the lumbar spine. It is very deep in the torso and therefore you cannot touch this muscle from the outside. It wraps around the torso, creating an effect similar to a back support belt.

The abdominal muscles work as a group and act spinal flexors, or bending the trunk forward. The back muscles, or spinal extensors, counterbalance the action of the abs to provide a muscualr brace for all movement.

Anatomy of the Back - Muscles

Spine Anatomy: Muscles of The Back

The major muscles on the back are Psoas Major, Quadratus Lumborum and the Erector Spinae group.

The Psoas Major is located deep in the back and attaches directly to the front side of the vertebral bodies and deep on the inner side of the thigh bone on each side of body. It acts as a primary flexor muscle of the hip joint, helping to raise the lower limb at the hip joint towards the trunk.

The Quadratus lumborum lies next to the Psoas Major and attaches on the side of the vertebrae, on the transverse processes of the vertebraes, and along the top ridge of the pelvis bones located at the lower sides of the trunk. TheQuadratus Lumborum acts to side bend the trunk.

The erector Spinae group is made up of the Interspinales, Intertransversarii Mediales, Multifidi, Longissimus and Iliocostalis. The spinal extensor muscles lie behind the vertebral column, attach directly to the vertebrae, and stretch its entire length segment to segment. Each layer of muscles has specific subdivisions in the neck, midback, and lower back regions. They work as a group to help the back extend or bend backwards. The erector spinae muscles secondarily contribute to lateral bending and rotation of the spine.

We will look at the muscles that help stabilize the back on the anterior side of the body, or the abdominal muscle group on Friday.

Spine Anatomy - Part 2 Intervertebral Discs

Spine Anatomy Part 2: The Disc

There are a total of 23 vertebrae in the spine and thus 23 discs located in between each vertebrae. The discs are soft tissue which helps to cushion between the vertebral bones inside the spinal column. They are made mostly of water, proteins and collagen. The disc function to facilitate movement, provide shock absorption, and help to create the spinal curves. The spinal curves along with the discs help to distribute the weight and force throughout the body. Discs are attached to the vertebrae above and below by cartilaginous end plates and they receive all their nutritional requirements through these cartilaginous end plates. They have any blood vessel attachments.

Disc specific anatomy:

The disc is named for its shape and function. It is a round shape, like a disc, and is made of the outer wall and the inner nucleus. The outer wall of the disc is called the annulus fibrosis. The design of this outer wall is made up of alternating direction layers of cells that are very strong and helps the disc to resist the huge loads and forces placed on it by all of our spinal movements. The inner section of the disc is called the nucleus pulposus. It has a soft jelly-like core that is saturated with moisture and is very flexible. The inner core of the disc is constantly hydrating and dehydrating as part of its normal day to day activity. As we age, the nucleus loses its ability to effectively hold moisture, thereby shrinking in mass, height and circumference. This harmless and expected process is called disc degeneration, also known as degenerative disc disease.

Spine Anatomry Part 3: Muscles of the Back

Spine Anatomy - Part 1: Bony Strutures

Bony Structures of the Spine

The function of the spine is to provide mobility and stability to the body so we can move.

The spine is made up of 24 bones called the vertebrae. They are the building blocks of the spine. The vertebrae are stacked one on top of the other like building blocks to form the spinal column. The spinal column provides protection for the spinal cord to allow for transmission of neural signals between the brain and the body. In between each vertebrae is the disc which provides cushioning and shock absorption.

The spine has three natural curves that gives the spine an "s" when looking at the spinal column from the side. The cervical spine, or neck, curves inward. The thoracic spine, or upper and middle back, curves outward. The lumbar spine, or lower back, curves inward. These natural curves of the spine have a very specific function to absorb shock when you are upright during sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping and all daily activities. These natural curves help to distribute forces It is important to maintain the natural curves in your spine to prevent lower back and neck strain. The natural curves in your spine are considered "Neutral Spine" and is basically proper posture. In addition, the natural curves of the spine put the muscles in the position where they work the best.

I am having technical difficulties with photos...so this entry will be continued with some graphics. But I think I covered the basics of the bony structures of the spine. It will be further illuminated with graphics.

Causes of Low Back Pain

Wednesdays topic. Causes of low back pain.

There are so many websites that talk about this issue, and the one I liked the best is WebMD. So I included the points I felt were the strongest and included it here for your info. Check out the website for more info!

Low Back Pain - Cause

Most low back pain is triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain, and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. Many experts believe that over time muscle strain can lead to an overall imbalance in the spinal structure. This leads to a constant tension on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and discs, making the back more prone to injury or reinjury.

The causes of pain in the low back, or lumbosacral region, tend to add on to one another. For example, after straining muscles, you are likely to walk or move in different ways to avoid pain or to use muscles that aren't sore. That can cause you to strain other muscles that don't usually move that way.

The most common causes of low back pain are:

• Injury or overuse of muscles, ligaments, facet joints, and the sacroiliac joints.
• Pressure on nerve roots in the spinal canal. Nerve root compression can be caused by:
  • A herniated disc, often brought on by repeated vibration or motion (as during machine use or sport activity, or when lifting improperly), or by a sudden heavy strain or increased pressure to the lower back.
  • Osteoarthritis (joint degeneration), which typically develops with age. When osteoarthritis affects the small facet joints in the spine, it can lead to back pain. Osteoarthritis in other joints, such as the hips, can cause you to limp or to change the way you walk. This can also lead to back pain.
  • Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis, vertebra defects that can allow a vertebra to slide over another when aggravated by certain activities.
  • Spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal canal, which typically develops with age.
  • Fractures of the vertebrae caused by significant force, such as from an auto or bicycle accident, a direct blow to the spine, or compressing the spine by falling onto the buttocks or head.
  • Spinal deformities, including curvature problems such as severe scoliosis or kyphosis.
• Compression fractures: Compression fractures are more common among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, or in men or women after long-term corticosteroid use. In a person with osteoporosis, even a small amount of force put on the spine, as from a sneeze, may cause a compression fracture.
• Infomation from WebMD: Please see website for more information and details.

Infomation from WebMD: Please see website for more information and details.
www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/low-back-pain-cause

Fridays topic: Spine Anatomy Part 1 - Bone Structure

Introductions

Hi all. I am Physical Therapist and I have a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. I received my Doctorate from Simmons College in Boston MA. I have practicing Physical Therapy in several venues, primarily private Physical Therapist owned orthopedic outpatient clinics. However I have also done inpatient work in a couple of hospital settings. When I started out I first thought I wanted to work with kids, but that turned into wanting to work in a sports therapy clinic and eventually I found myself working more and more with people who have back pain. Even the inpatient experience I had working in the hospital was primarily post operative patients who had back surgeries.

Back pain, especially low back pain is so prevalent. It seems like everyone has some bout of low back pain at some point. And everyone is looking for a quick fix. People...THERE IS NO QUICK FIX! I have been working with low back pain for a while now and I have not found any quick fix. All the hype about the quick fix is propaganda. There is a solution to lower back pain, but it is exercise and lifestyle changes. This takes time and work. Hard work. The solution to low back pain takes exercise, weight loss, diet changes, habit changes, finding new movement patterns and sticking to these changes. Not only until the back pain goes away but for always! Sounds daunting, huh? Here's the thing though, if it works and you feel better why go back to the way that made your back hurt. Why choose pain? So once you find something that helps you feel better, it should be a no brainer to stick with it!

Okay, I think you all get a sense about how I feel. Which is ultiamtely my intention, to introduce you to my philosophies reagrding this issue. So, welcome to my world!

Upcoming topics: Wednesday - Causes of low back pain.

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Helping people find relief