It’s been my experience that most injuries to the lower back are not the result of moving a heavy object. In fact, more often the problem comes about due to moving something rather light. It could be picking up the newspaper or setting down the mail or cleaning off the kitchen table. There’s a reason for this. This discs between the vertebrae of the lower back are normally pretty durable. They act as a spacer and cushion between the bones to allow for necessary motion and to support the weight of the torso. They are composed of fibers arranged in layers which encircle the outer borders of the disc. In the center there is a thick jelly nucleus composed of protein. As tough as it is, it has a weakness. When the lower back is bent forward and twisted the fibers can be strained to the point of tearing. We may not be aware of this at first but with repeated tearing the disc will bulge. This can be painful and debilitating but if the bulge is large enough it can irritate the sciatic nerve and produce thigh pain, numbness and muscle weakness. This can call for surgical intervention if the injury is severe enough. Disc injuries can be treated conservatively if not in an advanced stage. Chiropractic treatment works well for cases that do not require surgery.
The goal of chiropractic treatment in dealing with this type of disc injury is 4-part.
- Improve and maintain motion and flexibility
- Restore and maintain function
- Reduce chronic pain
- Reduce the risk of reinjury and degeneration
So what can be done to help avoid disc injuries in the first place? Increasing lower back flexibility and strengthening the supporting structures is important. The idea is to avoid things that might injure the fibers around the edge of the disc. Almost without exception disc injury is the result of a forward bend at the waist coupled with a twist. These motions combined facilitate the tearing of disc fibers. Add that to a sedintary lifestyle and all it takes is reaching to put a plate in the dishwasher for a crisis of the disc to occur. It might only be a “tweek” or it might drop you to your knees. Either way you’re left wondering why such a small effort would result in such big pain.
A simple way to protect the discs in the lower back is to try to avoid the “bend and twist” by keeping the feet pointed in the same direction as the torso when lifting or moving anything. This means a bit of a shuffle at times, almost a small dance step. If you’re setting something down, turn the feet in that direction and move with the knees slightly bent. Don’t cut corners by twisting the body with the feet planted in one spot. Holding a weight out away from your body while bending and twisting will only increase the pressure on the disc as well as the chance for injury.
If a disc injury is treated properly, the connective tissues responsible for healing remodel for better flexibility and strength. This often takes 3 to 14 weeks but may take up to 1 year with severe injury. It’s no fun, so take care of your discs.
