- 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
Spinehealth and Disease
Spinal Dysfunction
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Spinal Dysfunction
Spinal Dysfunction
The term spinal dysfunction refers to an abnormal increase or decrease in spinal movement (mobility). The term may used to describe a spinal segment, a spinal region or the whole spine. The presence of spinal dysfunction at one level (segment) of the spine will affect the movement pattern of the segments above and below it. Spinal dysfunction can occur in the absence of disease or as the result of disease. Spinal dysfunction may cause adjacent spinal levels (motion segments) to move too little and/or too much. Chronic spinal dysfunction may lead to tissue compromise over time. When soft tissue compromise occurs this can lead to further alteration of spinal segment movement patterns. The most common causes of spinal dysfunction are degenerative disc disease, strains/sprains, muscle weakening (deconditioning), muscle spasm, and osteoarthritis. Spinal dysfunction may be precipitated by injury. Joint dysfunction may remains long after pain goes away.
The Spinal Motion Segment
A motion segment is defined as a functional unit comprised of two adjacent articulating surfaces (joint surfaces) and the connecting tissues which hold them together. The definition of a spinal motion segment is two adjacent vertebrae and the connecting tissues which bind them together. The spinal motion segment is essentially a three-joint complex comprised of two facet joints and the intervertebral disc. The spinal motion segment is where all movement takes place. All the tissues of the segment are influenced by movement including the vertebra, the intervertebral disc, nerves, spinal cord, blood vessels, facet joints, muscles and ligaments.
Dysfunction of the Spinal Segment
There are different terms that are used to describe abnormal function or structural relationships at the level of an individual spinal segment. One of these terms used by the chiropractic profession that describes an abnormal or altered relationship between adjacent vertebrae and their joints is the term subluxation. The term also describes abnormal intervertebral movement or abnormal physiological function from the vertebral segmental level. The root words for the term subluxation come from a combination of the Greek sub and lux which together means “less than a dislocation�. There are numerous synonyms for the term subluxation. Some of the more common ones are joint dysfunction, segmental dysfunction, vertebral subluxation complex, dysfunctional joint, and facet syndrome. There are also terms used to more specifically characterize the pattern or type of abnormal movement at a spinal segment. Commonly used terms in this category include, fixation, hypomobility, and hypermobility and paradoxical motion.
The term hypomobility is used to describe a spinal segment which is associated with reduced intersegmental movement which may or may not be associated with pain, reactive muscle spasms and or degenerative changes (spondylosis). The term hypermobility refers to segment where there is excessive motion between spinal segments (intersegmental movement). Pathological hypermobility is when there is excessive intersegmental motion in the tissue damaging range. Parakinetic or paradoxical movement refers to intersegmental motion which occurs in a direction or pattern other than that which is expected or normal. This may result in tissue deformation or damage. Evaluation of spinal segment motion is performed with manual methods such as palpation and through diagnostic imaging. Positional X-rays provide an accurate method for documenting abnormal movement and a method to quantify/grade the degree of abnormal movement in different planes. The term fixation refers to a total loss of spinal joint movement. This can occur as the result of severe degenerative change with bone spurs which bridge across adjacent vertebrae. Spinal fixation is also the desired goal of surgical fusion using a bone graft and/or instrumentation.
Causes of Spinal Dysfunction
There are many causes of spinal segment dysfunction. The causes can generally be classified by their structural location. More common causes include changes associated with spinal segment degeneration involving the intervertebral disc, the facet joints and the ligaments. The development of muscle atrophy or scar tissue will alter spinal joint function. The presence of persistent or recurrent muscle spasms around a painful spinal segment will alter spinal segment movement at that level. Abnormal skeletal development of adjacent bony surfaces of the vertebral body will predispose the spinal segment to abnormal movement. Other common causes of spinal dysfunction are muscular deconditioning and poor posture.
The term spinal dysfunction refers to an abnormal increase or decrease in spinal movement (mobility). The term may used to describe a spinal segment, a spinal region or the whole spine. The presence of spinal dysfunction at one level (segment) of the spine will affect the movement pattern of the segments above and below it. Spinal dysfunction can occur in the absence of disease or as the result of disease. Spinal dysfunction may cause adjacent spinal levels (motion segments) to move too little and/or too much. Chronic spinal dysfunction may lead to tissue compromise over time. When soft tissue compromise occurs this can lead to further alteration of spinal segment movement patterns. The most common causes of spinal dysfunction are degenerative disc disease, strains/sprains, muscle weakening (deconditioning), muscle spasm, and osteoarthritis. Spinal dysfunction may be precipitated by injury. Joint dysfunction may remains long after pain goes away.
The Spinal Motion Segment
A motion segment is defined as a functional unit comprised of two adjacent articulating surfaces (joint surfaces) and the connecting tissues which hold them together. The definition of a spinal motion segment is two adjacent vertebrae and the connecting tissues which bind them together. The spinal motion segment is essentially a three-joint complex comprised of two facet joints and the intervertebral disc. The spinal motion segment is where all movement takes place. All the tissues of the segment are influenced by movement including the vertebra, the intervertebral disc, nerves, spinal cord, blood vessels, facet joints, muscles and ligaments.
Dysfunction of the Spinal Segment
There are different terms that are used to describe abnormal function or structural relationships at the level of an individual spinal segment. One of these terms used by the chiropractic profession that describes an abnormal or altered relationship between adjacent vertebrae and their joints is the term subluxation. The term also describes abnormal intervertebral movement or abnormal physiological function from the vertebral segmental level. The root words for the term subluxation come from a combination of the Greek sub and lux which together means “less than a dislocation�. There are numerous synonyms for the term subluxation. Some of the more common ones are joint dysfunction, segmental dysfunction, vertebral subluxation complex, dysfunctional joint, and facet syndrome. There are also terms used to more specifically characterize the pattern or type of abnormal movement at a spinal segment. Commonly used terms in this category include, fixation, hypomobility, and hypermobility and paradoxical motion.
The term hypomobility is used to describe a spinal segment which is associated with reduced intersegmental movement which may or may not be associated with pain, reactive muscle spasms and or degenerative changes (spondylosis). The term hypermobility refers to segment where there is excessive motion between spinal segments (intersegmental movement). Pathological hypermobility is when there is excessive intersegmental motion in the tissue damaging range. Parakinetic or paradoxical movement refers to intersegmental motion which occurs in a direction or pattern other than that which is expected or normal. This may result in tissue deformation or damage. Evaluation of spinal segment motion is performed with manual methods such as palpation and through diagnostic imaging. Positional X-rays provide an accurate method for documenting abnormal movement and a method to quantify/grade the degree of abnormal movement in different planes. The term fixation refers to a total loss of spinal joint movement. This can occur as the result of severe degenerative change with bone spurs which bridge across adjacent vertebrae. Spinal fixation is also the desired goal of surgical fusion using a bone graft and/or instrumentation.
Causes of Spinal Dysfunction
There are many causes of spinal segment dysfunction. The causes can generally be classified by their structural location. More common causes include changes associated with spinal segment degeneration involving the intervertebral disc, the facet joints and the ligaments. The development of muscle atrophy or scar tissue will alter spinal joint function. The presence of persistent or recurrent muscle spasms around a painful spinal segment will alter spinal segment movement at that level. Abnormal skeletal development of adjacent bony surfaces of the vertebral body will predispose the spinal segment to abnormal movement. Other common causes of spinal dysfunction are muscular deconditioning and poor posture.
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