The spine is a wonderfully complicated structure

Full of bones, ligaments, tendons and joints; following three distinct curves and segments; conduit for the central nervous system; there is simply no more influential structure in your body than the spine. And yet so many of us take our spinal health for granted. We move through our busy lives barely giving a thought to the stresses that our spine is force to interpret on a millisecond basis. And with our lifestyles becoming more inactive by the day, these pressures are growing in intensity. 

How does back pain come about

• Upper back pain, commonly referred to as cervical, occurs most often between the shoulder blades and is most often caused by muscle dysfunction, stiffness and injury. 
• The thoracic segment is the most stable in the body, although it is still quite mobile. Pain here is most often caused by injury, muscle strain and blunt force trauma. 
• Lower back pain is the most common, as the lumbar is responsible for supporting the weight of the upper body. The spinal motion segments here, consisting of facet joints, vertebrae and intervertebral discs are under a near-constant barrage of pressure. 

We must be proactive about preventing this pain

God forbid you ever suffer a spinal injury. Just going about our daily lives is enough of a trauma for our spines. We must do everything in our power to protect them- that means getting serious about diet, exercise, stretching and limiting the amount of sitting we do. Let’s make 2019 the year of spinal health- you can get started by giving our office in Fremont a call to schedule an appointment today.