- Anatomy of The Spine
- Back Pain in Children
- Caring for your Spine
- Emerging Spinecare Trends
- Evaluation of Spinal Disorders
- Exercise and The Spine
- Intervention - Spinal Disorders
- Intervertebral Disc
- Non Surgical Options
- Nutrition and Spinecare
- Options for Spine Treatments
- Pregnancy and Back Pain
- Prevalence of Spine Disorders
- Sleep and the Spine
- Spinecare Introduction
- Spinehealth and Disease
- Surgical Interventions
- Treatment with Medications
- Understanding Back Pain
Spinecare Topics
Exercise and The Spine
Introduction to Muscles
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Introduction to Muscles
The body has about 650 different muscles each having important roles. They make up about 45 percent of a man’s weight whereas; the bones make up only about 12 percent. The muscles are about 80% water with a high concentration of protein. They are powerful metabolic “furnaces� capable of burning up a lot of calories during rest and during activity. This is why people who have a higher concentration of muscle (lean tissue) have an easier time managing their weight.
Each muscle is comprised of numerous muscle fibers. It is estimated that the human body has about one quarter of one billion skeletal muscle fibers. No discussion of the spine would be complete unless it included a review of the role of muscles.
Most of the muscles perform functions that do not require a lot of thought or direct conscious control. For example, a coordinated muscular effort is required to stand erect, maintain posture, to breath, chew and walk. All muscles are capable of adapting to the demands which are placed upon them. They are each under the control of the peripheral and central nervous system via unconscious reflexes and/or conscious drive. Muscles come in all sizes both great and small. The largest muscle in the body is the latissimus dorsi which stretches from the spine to the shoulder region. The gluteus maximus, muscle of the hip region hip is one of the strongest muscles in the body. Muscles not only evoke movement they provide stability to the spine and extremity joints. They prevent excessive movement that would compromise the structures of the spine and joints.
The muscles are remarkable because they can be trained to perform more work and to work in a more precise and coordinated fashion with other muscles. This is an important characteristic, especially when treating a patient with a back problem. The muscles capability of adapting and responding to exercise provides an important therapeutic opportunity for individuals who suffer from periodic or persistent back problems.
There are three primary classifications of muscle. The first is skeletal muscle, also referred to as voluntary muscles because they can be activated with conscious control. Skeletal muscles maintain a state of readiness; the resting contractile state referred to as muscle tone. All of the muscles around the spine are skeletal muscles.
Each muscle is comprised of numerous muscle fibers. It is estimated that the human body has about one quarter of one billion skeletal muscle fibers. No discussion of the spine would be complete unless it included a review of the role of muscles.
Most of the muscles perform functions that do not require a lot of thought or direct conscious control. For example, a coordinated muscular effort is required to stand erect, maintain posture, to breath, chew and walk. All muscles are capable of adapting to the demands which are placed upon them. They are each under the control of the peripheral and central nervous system via unconscious reflexes and/or conscious drive. Muscles come in all sizes both great and small. The largest muscle in the body is the latissimus dorsi which stretches from the spine to the shoulder region. The gluteus maximus, muscle of the hip region hip is one of the strongest muscles in the body. Muscles not only evoke movement they provide stability to the spine and extremity joints. They prevent excessive movement that would compromise the structures of the spine and joints.
The muscles are remarkable because they can be trained to perform more work and to work in a more precise and coordinated fashion with other muscles. This is an important characteristic, especially when treating a patient with a back problem. The muscles capability of adapting and responding to exercise provides an important therapeutic opportunity for individuals who suffer from periodic or persistent back problems.
There are three primary classifications of muscle. The first is skeletal muscle, also referred to as voluntary muscles because they can be activated with conscious control. Skeletal muscles maintain a state of readiness; the resting contractile state referred to as muscle tone. All of the muscles around the spine are skeletal muscles.
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