Back Pain
Lower Back Injuries
Spinal anatomy is a remarkable combination of strong bones, flexible ligaments and tendons, large muscles, and highly sensitive nerves. It is designed to be incredibly strong, protecting the highly sensitive nerve roots, yet highly flexible, providing for mobility on many different planes.
Four Major Regions of the Spine


- 1The Cervical Spine (Neck) - The neck supports the weight of the head and protects the nerves that run from the brain to the rest of the body. This section of the spine has seven vertebral bodies (bones) that get smaller as they get closer to the base of the skull. The lowest cervical spine vertebral is in line with the top of the shoulders approximately.
- 2The Thoracic Spine (Upper Back) - The 12 vertebral bodies in the upper back make up the thoracic spine. The firm attachment of the rib cage at each level of the thoracic spine provides stability and structural support to the upper back and allows very little motion. The thoracic spine is basically a strong cage and it is designed to protect the vital organs of the heart and lungs.
- 3The Lumbar Spine (Lower Back) - The lower back has a lot more motion than the thoracic spine and carries the weight of the torso, which makes it more prone to injury.
- 4The Sacral Region (Lower Spine) - Below the lumbar spine is a bone called the sacrum, which makes up the back part of the pelvis. This bone is shaped like a triangle that fits between the two halves of the pelvis, connecting the spine to the lower half of the body.
Most of us take this juxtaposition of strength, structure, and flexibility for granted in our everyday lives—until something goes wrong. Once we have back pain, we're driven to know what's wrong and what it will take to relieve the pain and prevent a recurrence.
Common Back Injuries:
Muscular Pain
The most common cause of acute back or neck pain is a muscle injury, in which muscle fibers stretch too far and tear. Muscle injury may be caused by overuse, such as from heavy lifting, as well as by repetitive motions that put continual stress on the back or neck muscles. While a muscle injury may not sound like a serious issue, the resulting pain can be severe.



Lumbar spinal disc—a sturdy, fibrous structure that acts as a ligament between vertebrae. A spinal disc can cause pain from:





Joints and Vertabrae


For more information on your lower back pain, please call us to set up an appointment so that we can assess you injury and provide you information about your injury that is specific to you and help you get back on track with what you need to do to move and feel better.