The five lumbar vertebrae make up the lower spine. Lower back pain commonly occurs in the lumbar region of your body, as it is this portion of your body that supports your weight. Certain strengthening exercises can help to reduce pain, improve...
The lumbar spine has the largest set of vertebrae and bears the most weight. Its function is to stabilize your spine and hips to prevent joint diseases and injury when you move and exercise. Although stretching your lumbar spine can improve its...
The fifth lumbar vertebra, also known as the L5 vertebra, can be a source of tremendous pain and discomfort. The L4-L5 disc, located between your fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, and the L5-S1 disc, between the fifth lumbar and first sacral...
Your lumbar spine consists of the five vertebrae, often referred to as L1 to L5, in the lower portion of your spinal column. Of all the vertebrae, these bones bear the most weight and are, therefore, most prone to injury and deterioration, says...
Spinal cord injuries, or SCIs, are traumatic injuries that trigger temporary or permanent damage to the main nerve pathway between your brain and body. Involvement in organized sports is a known underlying factor in a significant number of these...
Numerous conditions can cause lower right-side back pain. According to MedlinePlus from the National Institutes of Health, back pain affects about 80 percent of people at some point in their lives. Structures in the lower right side of the back...
Lumbar disks, plates of cartilage that cushion the movements of the vertebrae of the spine, can rupture and herniate, putting pressure on nerves. The common symptoms of a herniated disk in the lumbar spine vary depending on which vertebrae and...
Spondylolysis is a back pain condition that results from a stress fracture in the fifth lumbar vertebra or, less commonly, the fourth lumbar vertebra, located in the lower back. If left untreated, spondylolysis can progress to spondylolisthesis,...
According to Medline Plus, of the National Institutes of Health, sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness and tingling in the leg. Nerve compression in the lower back, or lumbar spine, causes symptoms to radiate from the lumbar spine to the...
A spine LC, or lumbar compression fracture, occurs when the vertebra, or backbones, collapse. According to Medline Plus, of the National Institutes of Health, osteoporosis is the most common cause of a lumbar compression fracture. Osteoporosis is...
The spine is composed of small bones called vertebrae; between each vertebra is a "cushion" called a disc. With time, the jelly-like center of the disc may shift and leak out through a crack in the tougher, outer layer of the disc. This is called...
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the space between your vertebrae that compresses one or more nerves in your spinal column, according to MayoClinic.com. This usually affects the nerves in your neck and lower spine. Although the space naturally...
Lower back pain on the right side can be caused by numerous factors. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, or NINDS--a division of the National Institutes of Health--a person's back is comprised of an...
Anterior lumbar fusion--also called anterior lumbar interbody fusion, or ALIF--may relieve pain caused by instability in the spine. To stabilize damaged vertebrae, the surgeon inserts a bone graft to stimulate the healing process that eventually...
Spinal anesthesia involves the infusion of local anesthetics and, sometimes, narcotics into the fluid that bathes the spinal cord. The spinal cord actually terminates a few inches before the vertebrae, or back bones, that protect it. To minimize...
The lungs are the primary organs of respiration, which consists of ventilation and gas exchange in the lungs and oxygen transport to the cells of the body. Cedars-Sinai Hospital notes that on average, a normally active person breathes almost...
Spondylolytic spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebrae in your spine becomes damaged and slips out of position. Depending on the severity, it can cause severe back pain. Certain exercises can help reduce some of the discomfort. These...
Spinal fusion surgery is basically a welding of the vertebrae using rods or wire mesh to create one long bone, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The procedure stops movement between the joints so that you cannot...
The vertebral column is both durable and flexible, allowing a person to move freely in many different directions. The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs that act as cushions. Degenerative disc disease, or DDD, results...
A compression fracture of the lumbar spine is also known as a wedge fracture. The lumbar area of the spine contains five vertebrae known as L1 through L5, situated between the thoracic or chest area and the buttocks. The lowest lumbar vertebra is...
Lumbar scoliosis affects the spines of prepubescent children. Unlike other forms of scoliosis that can cause curves in the upper and middle areas of the spine, lumbar scoliosis causes a curve to form in the lower spine, near the tail bone....
Optimal body alignment potentially improves movement efficiency, reduces joint and muscular pain, enhances athletic performance and prevents injuries. If trends in postural alignment theories remained constant, the concept would be easily defined,...
Figure skating offers many opportunities to overuse the back muscles, spine and connective tissue or subject them to traumatic blows. Injury scenarios range from simple muscle strains and tears to vertebral fractures and spinal cord nerve...
Numerous herbs may be helpful in treating your sacroiliac, or SI, joint pain. According to the Spine Health website, your SI joint is a paired joint located at the base of your spine, below your lumbar vertebra and above your tailbone. Your SI...
Back pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint. According to the American Chiropractic Association, Americans spend about $50 billion each year on back pain treatments, and up to 80 percent of Americans will experience a back problem at some...
In order to categorize the spinal nerves, anatomists divide the vertebral column into four distinct areas, referred to as the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions of the spine. Dr. Ralph Rashburn of Spine-Health states that 31 pairs of...
The lumbar region of the spine is composed of five small vertebrae, or bones, that run vertically along the lower back. Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative spine condition that is also referred to as spinal osteoarthritis. People over the age of...
There are many causes of leg and foot pain. According to the Spine Health website, lumbar or lower back spinal conditions are among the most common causes of leg and foot pain and lower extremity symptoms. The Spine Health website states that...
The sciatic nerve begins in the lower back and extends to the soles of the feet. When the nerve become pinched or injured, it can cause severe pain in the back as well as the legs and feet. While the cause of trauma to the nerve is often unknown,...
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