HOW THE BACK AND SPINE AGE
More than one observer has wryly noted that the moment we as a species stood up and began to walk on two legs instead of all fours, the need for back surgeons was born.
Truthfully, from the moment we learn to walk, we ask a lot of our backs. As children, we learn that it’s impolite to slouch, so we sit up straight, which puts stress on the lower back. The physical risks many teenagers take in sports can cause back injuries and also create future problems for the back and spine. As midlife adults, we begin to pay the price for this cumulative abuse with chronic back pain, a limitation in physical activity, and even a loss in height. Back pain causes more days off from work and permanent disability than any other illness. Yet it’s easy to prevent problems.
The back and spine provide the entire body with the support it needs to function. When your back hurts, you’ll find that it’s difficult to do anything that involves moving your body. When you examine the construction of the back and spine and its apparent fragility, it’s easy to see why so many people are afflicted with back problems.
The spine is the main support column of the body. It consists of 33 bones, or vertebrae, that are interspaced with discs of cartilage that act as shock absorbers. The muscles of the back connect with the vertebral processes, tiny bone projections that hold the musculature fast. The spine adapts to the movement of the muscles, bending and twisting as we go about our everyday activities.
In fact, the structure of the spine can be compared to a highly unlikely combination: in truth, it’s nothing more than a column of cinder blocks with a jelly donut wedged in between each two. The individual parts of the back, from the vertebrae to the discs to the muscles, are so intricate that problems and injuries tend to show up suddenly, rather than gradually. Most people have borderline problems with their backs, and a sneeze or cough can push them ovet the edge and straight to the doctor’s office.
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