Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues troubling the population.
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Statistics show that 80% of the population will suffer from a low back condition at least once in their lifetime.
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Low back pain is a general term, and many conditions can be the culprit for causing your pain in the lower back, hips and sciatica type pain.
There are many causes of low back pain, below are a few of the most common:
Facet Syndrome
Facet joints are the small joints in the back of the spine that are responsible for much of rotational movement and limits side-to-side movement. Facet syndrome is an irritation of, or injury to these joints of the spine.
The pain is often worst when moving from a sitting position to a standing position or moving from a bent-over position back to an upright standing position. Pain from the facet joints can often mimic sciatica as they can refer pain to the lower extremity.
Predisposing Factors
A co-morbid factor of this condition is often a desk job that involves sitting for most of the day. This type of patient usually has poor sitting posture, which can lead to a weakening of your spinal erectors and destabilize the spine, contributing to the condition.
The importance of a strong core and training your spinal muscles cannot be overstated.
Lumbar Discopathy and Disc Herniations
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The lumbar spine is made up of five bone segments called vertebrae. In between each vertebra are flexible intervertebral lumbar discs, which act as shock absorbers for the spine.
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The intervertebral discs are composed of two components, a tough outer ring of fibrous tissue called the annulus fibrosis, and a jelly-like center inside the annulus fibrosis called the nucleus pulposus. The structure is then held together by ligaments on the front and the back of the vertebrae. Additional support is provided by muscles of the trunk.
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Accumulation of micro-traumas on the disc (most commonly from prolonged sitting over time) can result in a herniation. This most commonly results in sciatica type symptoms.
Symptoms of Discopathy:
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Central pain in the affected area of ​​the spine with potential pain radiation to the buttock, thigh, calf or foot
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Feeling of stiffness and limited mobility of the spine
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If there is a hernia of the nucleus pulposus, symptoms may also include abnormal sensation, tingling or numbness, muscle weakness or paresis, weakness in tendon reflexes
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Pain worsening when sitting, driving a car or getting up.