Chronic Segmental Low Back Stiffness
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Most of us start off with a beautifully mobile and smooth running back and rarely are we stiff backed unless there is a reason for it. The back is well evolved to do the job it has to do and does this mostly very well. Spinal bones are separated from the vertebrae by discs which are thicker in areas of greater mobility and greater load, allowing more movement. Facet joints at the back of the spine limit and control spinal motion, stopping inappropriate spinal displacement in response to the loads placed on the spine. Muscles are strong, in balance and working in harmony to achieve the movement and stability required.
An acute episode of low back pain inhibits the core stabilising muscles from working well and can cause wasting of them with time. Segmental loss of stability control can make the occurrence of further low back pain episodes at the same level more likely. As time and injuries change the spine, degenerative changes can occur in the facet joints and discs, leading to segmental stiffness and chronic back pain. The force of gravity pushes fluid from the discs by compression and is opposed by a chemical absorption of fluid which is more powerful in lying.
Discs will narrow and lose part of their hydration under the forces of compression which occur in normal life, the disc becoming stiffer and narrower. X-rays can show up this narrowing when it reaches a certain level, but many discs will be troublesome long before this stage. The intervertebral disc and the two vertebrae each side of it are referred to as a vertebral segment and an abnormal stiff segment will move in such a way as to impose inappropriate levels of load upon structures not adapted to take them. The stiffness of individual spinal segments can be felt by a physiotherapist palpating the spine.
After an acute back pain injury the surrounding musculature tends to go into muscle spasms to splint and protect the injured segment until inflammation reduction and healing have had a chance to begin. Steady reduction in pain and progress in healing is usually accompanied by lessening of the back spasms and a restoration of normal spinal movement. However, this does not always occur as muscles may remain contracted and overprotective, causing a shortened tissue area which keeps the local joints and other tissues in a permanently shortened position.
Segmental stiffness can also be contributed to by sitting too much with its increased spinal compression forcing fluid from the discs. Avoiding flexion for many of us has led to a loss of this useful and disc-maintaining movement which increases fluid throughput to the discs and keeps them healthy. Other contributors are maintaining abnormal postures and weakness of the abdominal muscle group.
Having a series of acute episodes of lumbago can predispose to developing a segmental stiffness problem, often with the stiff or abnormally moving segments of the spine having been present for a long period before they start to give pain symptoms. Actions which make this syndrome worse will tend to hold the spine in flexion for long periods or at end ranges, such as sitting for extended times and bending forwards repeatedly, actions which push joints further than their limits of comfort. The spinal facet joints develop an extension dysfunction and the spinal segment can become adaptively shortened, compromising its movement ability. My own lumbar spine has some of these back problems and limits my ability to do repeated lifting or bent over work.
A well known physiotherapist in the UK has written a book called Sarah Key's Back Sufferers Bible, in which she describes the major back pain syndromes. She admits it is hard to back up her interpretations of what is going on in the spine but it does seem she has some very good therapeutic ideas about the management of low back pain. Describing the segmental low back stiffness syndrome she sets out a mobilising and strengthening regime to improve the situation. The exercise routine is not hard to follow but I have found it gives good results, especially as I had felt I could do little about my pain and pretty much had to put up with it.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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