Unit 4: Spine and Ribs Reading Response Flashcards
Question 1 “Basic Spinal Mechanics”
Describe the four types of forces acting on the spine. Which force is least likely to cause disc herniation? (Katarina’s Response)
The first force is called compression, where a downward force compresses the discs in the spine and can cause them to either shorten, widen or bulge outward. Lifting heavy loads can be a contributing compression factor.
The second force is tension where most commonly, the ligaments in the spine are being pulled apart which can cause them to lengthen, narrow, or in the worst case, cause injuries like tears or sprains. Overstretching has the capacity of pulling and tearing ligaments which is the antecedent of lower back pain.
Thirdly, shear force involves the top vertebrae sliding forward on the one directly beneath it. Shear force can result in disc prolapse or herniation. An example of shear force impacting the lower spine would be adding the parallel load of forward bending.
The fourth is known as a torsional force which involves twisting movements on the spine. Soft tissue sprains may occur making one more likely to experience the effects of the other three forces formerly mentioned.
Feedback: Tension is actually the least likely to cause disc herniation.
Question 2 “Lost Posture: Why Some Indigenous Cultures May Not Have Back Pain”
What three factors contribute to making the j-shaped spine more prevalent in traditional cultures than in Western cultures? (Katarina’s Response)
The j-shaped spine is more prevalent in some indigenous cultures because of two factors: their overall weight is lower and they have better core strength compared to Americans in the west.
Western Americans have a more sedentary lifestyle and develop more fat storage around the abdomen. Consequently, this extra weight causes one’s posture to pull forward. Poor posture stability and lack of muscle tone will lead to a spine that has more curvature such as an s-shaped spine than a j-shaped spine.
Question 3 “What Texting Does to the Spine” & “Young People are Growing Horns”
What does bending forward while texting do to the spine? To The skull? (Katarina’s Response)
There’s a widely known term called ‘’text neck’’ which occurs when a person bends their head and spine to look down at their cell phone. The further the head is tilted forward, the more weight is increased on the spine due to gravitational force. Bending forward at 60 degrees adds ~60 pounds of added pull on the spine. Over time, this pressure can lead to permanent bad posture and spine pain.
