Athletic back conditions

Question 1

What are the vertebrae?

Answer 1

The spine is comprised of 33 individual vertebrae bones which are attached by various muscles, ligaments, and discs.

Seperated into regions; cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx.

Only the top 24 vertebrae are moveable; the vertebrae of the sacrum and coccyx are fused. The lumbar spine is most mobile and most prone to injury.

Question 2

What are the ligaments in the spine?

Answer 2

• Anterior longitudinal ligament attaches to the front of each vertebra up and down the spine
• Postural longitudinal ligament connects and stabilizes the spinal column, running up and down the back of the spine adjacent to the spinal canal
• Interspinal ligaments extending from the root to the apex of each spinous process

Question 3

What are the spinal discs?

Answer 3

The vertebrae form functional spinal units. Spinal discs and paired facet joints are within each functional unit.

Intervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebra in the vertebral column. Each disc forms a fibrocartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae functioning as a shock absorber and to transmit loads.

Question 4

What are injuries of the spinal discs?

Answer 4

• Slipped disc (prolapsed disc) where inner of the disc slips outside the outside of the disc
• Degenerative disc disease where spinal discs dry, thin, and crack in old age

Question 5

What are the three layers of back muscles?

Answer 5

Superficial layer including splenius muscles and erector spinae muscles, deep layer including transversospinalis, and deepest layer including interspinales and intertransversarii muscles.

Question 6

What are superficial back muscles?

Answer 6

The first layer of muscles below the skin and superficial fascia (connective tissue). These muscles connect the clavicular, scapula, and humerus to the axial skeleton.

• Latissimus dorsi helps extend and rotate shoulder and arm
• Levator scapulae raises your scapula
• Rhomboids (major and minor) that pull the scapula inwards toward the spine

Question 7

What are the deep layer muscles?

Answer 7

Semispinalis, multifidus, and rotatores. Stabilise the vertebral column and also have a role in proprioception and balance.

Question 8

What is the nerve plexus?

Answer 8

Network of intersecting nerves, multiple nerves plexuses around the body. Composed of afferent and efferent fibres arising from merging anterior rami of spinal nerves and blood vessels.

Question 9

What is the cervical plexuses?

Answer 9

Complex neurological structure located within the head and neck. Large portion of cervical plexus is communication between the anterior divisions of C1 to C4 nerves.

Question 10

What is the brachial plexus?

Answer 10

Network of nerves that sends signals from the spinal cord to shoulder, arm, and hand.

Question 11

What is the lumbar plexus?

Answer 11

Collection of nerves arising from the lumbar spinal cord.

Question 12

What are the three main spinal deformities?

Answer 12

• Kyphosis, exaggerated forward rounding of the upper back. Often due to weakness in the spinal bones that causes them to crack or compress. Other types of kyphosis can occur in infants or children due to malformation.
• Scoliosis, sideways curvature of the spine often diagnosed in children. Cause is mostly unknown. Most cases are mild but curves can worsen as children grow.
• Lordosis, an extreme curve of the natural back posture causing the abdomen to stick out and the pelvis to curve back and up.

Question 13

What is a sciatica strain?

Answer 13

The sciatic nerve travels from the lower back through the hips and butt and down each leg. When the nerve becomes pinched from a herniated disc or overgrowth of a bone or tumour it can cause pain, stiffness, difficulty moving, and swelling.