Spinal Mechanics and Back Pain 101
Effective Solutions for Back Pain: How Understanding Spinal Mechanics Can Help
Back pain can be complex, but understanding spinal mechanics can reveal more effective solutions. For those suffering from chronic back pain, it’s crucial to remember that no part of the spine acts in isolation. The concept of the “Lovett Reactor” demonstrates that each spinal segment is paired with another in movement. For instance, the L5 vertebra in the lower back pairs with C1 in the neck, L4 with C2, L3 with C3, and so on, until the pairs converge in the middle at T5 and T6.
The lower back and neck counter balance each other, otherwise you'd fall over if one was out.
How Spinal Imbalances Affect Your Body
The balance between your lower back and neck is crucial; without it, you’d risk falling over if one were misaligned. The body instinctively compensates for pain, and once you move past the acute phase of an injury, if your brain doesn’t revert to pre-injury movement patterns, pain can manifest in unexpected areas. For example, if you experienced whiplash from a car accident and later your lower back starts to hurt, your neck may still need attention. Similarly, if you injured your back while lifting weights and now have headaches at the base of your skull, your lower back could still be compromised.
Why Thoracic Spine Mobility Matters
The thoracic spine, which should be the most mobile part of your back, often suffers from poor posture, limiting its range of motion. When the thoracic spine becomes immobile, other areas like the lower back and neck, which are meant to be more stable, have to compensate. This compensation can lead to a cascade of issues throughout the spine.
Steps to Alleviate Back Pain
To address widespread back pain, start by mobilizing your thoracic spine. Incorporate exercises like upward facing dog or cobra pose, or use a rolled-up yoga mat for thoracic traction. Given that poor posture is nearly universal, improving thoracic mobility is almost always beneficial.
Additionally, reflect on any past back injuries, including childhood accidents (yes, including the time you fell off the monkey bars or launched off a trampoline as a kid, because childhood injuries are usually the first thing to throw us off balance and no one goes to physical therapy at that age). Finding targeted stretches or exercises for these areas can often alleviate seemingly unrelated pain symptoms, which are typically just long term compensations that have broken down.
Get Professional Help for Persistent Pain
If these strategies don’t resolve your discomfort, consider booking a therapeutic massage session with me. As a skilled massage therapist in Savannah, Georgia, I specialize in treating back pain and other related conditions using applied kinesiology techniques. Accurate diagnosis is key to effective treatment, and my techniques help pinpoint the root cause of your pain.
