Lumbar Spine: Pain, Anatomy & Exercises

by | May 5, 2021 | Back Pain, Lower Back Pain | 0 comments

Human spinal cord is divided into bones called vertebrae. Each vertebra is separated by cartilage disc. Our spine is divided into four parts:

  • Cervical (C)
  • Thoracic (T)
  • Lumbar (L)
  • Sacral (S)

Lumbar Spine Anatomy:

Our lower back is the Lumbar spine. It consists of five vertebrae (in some people six) named as L1-L5/L6 (“L” represents Lumbar). These five vertebrae are the largest in size among all other vertebrae because they hold the most body weight and support in bending. There are intervertebral discs between the vertebrae so they don’t rub against each other.

Lumbar Spine Pain: –

Lower back pain is most common back pain. The pain in the lower back can be a result of various reasons bad posture, degeneration and injury. Bad postures or lifting heavy objects can put a strain on the intervertebral disc. Common causes of lower back pain or lumbar spine pain include:

Lower back pain can be acute or chronic. Acute lower back pain lasts for about 4 days to a few weeks unlike chronic back pain which lasts for more than 12 weeks. Straightening of lumbar spine can also cause chronic back pain.

In order to diagnose and treat the condition lumbar spine MRI is recommended. MRI provides a detailed image (it displays bones, disc and even the spaces between the vertebrae) than lumbar spine x-rays or CT-scans.

Exercises for relief form lower back pain: –

Lower back pain or lumbar spine can be prevented by making changes in your lifestyle and food. There are various exercises and stretches to strengthen the lower back (lumbar spine). Some of them are:

  • Stretch your knees to your chest
  • Lower back rotational stretch (Sitting)
  • Lower back rotational stretch (Lying down)
  • Leg lifts lying of your side

These lumbar spine exercises and stretches can help strengthen and stabilize your core and lower back.

1. Stretch Your Knees to your Chest:

  • Lay down on your back
  • Use your hands to pull one knee up close to your chest
  • Hold the position for 5-7 seconds, remember to press the spine to the floor.
  • Leave the knee and come back to the original position
  • Repeat same stretch with the other knee
  • Repeat this stretch twice or thrice (2-3 times) in a day

2. Lower back rotational stretch while sitting: –

  • Sit straight on a chair keeping your feet flat on the floor.
  • Put your hands on the back of your head and gently twist your core to the left
  • Put the right hand on your left knee to support the stretch
  • Hold the position for 8-10 seconds
  • Repeat the same stretch on the other side.

3. Lower back rotational stretch while lying down: –

  • Lie down straight on the floor and keep your feet flat
  • Keep the shoulders on the ground firmly and bend your knees.
  • Now gently roll your knees to over to your right side
  • Keep the position for 10 seconds and come back to the original position.
  • Repeat the same on the opposite side.
  • Repeat this stretch a couple of times in a day.

4. Leg lifts while lying on your side: –

  • Lie on your one side keeping the knee below slightly bent.
  • Put your hand under your head
  • Now gently raise your upper leg higher.
  • Hold the position for 2-4 seconds. Perform it 8 times.
  • Repeat the same on your other side.

KKT Orthopedic Spine Centre Pakistan focuses on treatment and diagnosis of all spine related disorders via personalized sound waves.

For more information about KKT Orthopedic Spine Center, its specialists and any additional questions, please contact us at: 0800-00-558 

Reference:

Princeton University. (n.d.). Athletic Medicine. Lumbar/Core Strength and Stability Exercises. doi:https://uhs.princeton.edu/sites/uhs/files/documents/Lumbar.pdf

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