WellnessNaija

WHAT IS NORMAL CURVATURE OF THE SPINE?
Nobody has a perfectly straight backbone. It is normal to have slight sagittal spinal curvature that forms a sort of gentle 'S' shape, as shown here:

Normal curvature of the spine
A 'normal' spine as viewed from the side, front and back

In this weekly post, we will look at what constitutes a 'normal' curvature of the spine and what is classed as an abnormal / excessive curvature.

Normal Curvature of the Spine
A normal curvature of the spine appears in the neck and lower back areas of the spine. When viewed from the side, these soft curves bend forward at the neck (cervical) section and outwards in the lower half (lumbar) of the spine. These normal curvatures of the spine help to distribute bodily stress more evenly during rest and movement. Now imagine how yours is with prolonged office/work sitting and standing hours.

These curves balance each other out, so your head should be aligned with your hips when standing up straight. This position works to minimise the effect of gravity and allows you to have good posture when moving around.

A healthy spine with a normal curvature should still be centred on the pelvis, and more or less straight when viewed from behind. While most people have a slight sideways curve, the spine should not curve more than 10 degrees to the left or right.

Abnormal Curvatures of the Spine
An abnormal curvature of the spine can take a number of different forms, including:
Scoliosis - Scoliosis is an excessive curvature of the spine to the left or right (or both). Common symptoms of scoliosis include uneven shoulder blades, hips and rib humps.

Hyperlordosis - Hyperlordosis is an excessive forward curvature of the lower spine, making it appear that the patient's stomach and rear are sticking out.

Hyperkyphosis - Hyperkyphosis is an excessive forward curvature of the upper spine, often resulting in a 'hunchback' appearance.
If you think you may be experiencing any of these disorders, see a Doctor.

HERE IS THE NEW SECRET ABOUT LOW BACK PAIN

*Muscle relaxants ‘very questionable’ treatment for low back pain, experts say*

Low back pain is the most common cause of disability worldwide, with eight in 10 people reporting the problem at some point in their lives, according to Doctors.

Sometimes problems with the bones, soft tissues, or intervertebral discs of the spine cause back pain, but in the vast majority of cases there is nothing specific that can be pinned down as the culprit, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Alberta, Douglas Gross reported that.

“This is one reason why treating the pain with specific interventions is difficult,” he told Global News.

Over-the-counter muscle relaxant medications and prescription drugs are widely used to get relief from backaches. But they do not solve the root cause of the problem or prevent it from recurring in the future, said Danielle Carnegie, a physical therapist and PhD student of biomechanics at the University of Toronto (U of T).

“For the first few days, maybe they're OK, but after that, they're probably not giving you much benefit,” she told Global News.

The study also suggested that non-benzodiazepine antispasmodics could increase the risk of an adverse event being reported, such as dizziness, drowsiness, headache and nausea.

The very small positive effect on pain combined with some risk of adverse events makes this treatment “very questionable,” said Gross.

Instead of popping pills, there are other effective ways to manage and prevent back pain, experts say.

Gross said for acute low back pain, the best strategy was to stay as active as possible.

He also noted that resting in bed for more than two days is counterproductive and actually prolongs the problem.

He recommended superficial heat at home, massage, manual therapy and acupuncture can also be helpful with few adverse effects as non-drug alternatives.